Semper Vigilans
by Buffybot76
Summary: The twins had always known that they were different from other children, even those among their own family. It wasn't until they were older that the twins found out just how different they truly were.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Semper Vigilans

 **Author:** Buffybot76 (aka GredMione Fan)

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters, they are the property of J.K Rowling. I am simply borrowing them for my amusement and non-profit entertainment.

 **Pairing:** Fred/Hermione/George

 **Rating:** M

 **Summary:** The twins had always known that they were different from other children, even those among their own family. It wasn't until they were older that the twins found out just how different they _**truly**_ were.

 **Genre:** Romance/Supernatural, eventual crossover

 **Author's Note:** Some of you who read my Kurama/Keiko fics might find this first chapter familiar. I wrote this as a Kurama/Keiko AU one shot a while back, but recently had an idea for a HP/YYH crossover that this lended the perfect spring board for and so decided to revise it. The next chapters will follow at intervals in which I get some feedback from you all. It'll be quite a few chapters before Kurama (and Keiko) make an appearance, but please bear with me and kindly leave a review to let me know what you think.

* * *

 **\- Chapter 1 -**

* * *

Hermione Granger walked across the parking lot of the local book store in which she worked. It was a Thursday night and after hours - closing time - and she was the last to leave, seeing as she had been the one in charge of counting down the register. Her heels clicked on the concrete pavement as she crossed the deserted lot while she rummaged through her purse for her keys. This task took her full attention as the light from the security lamp did little to illuminate the small area. A slight breeze blew, ruffling the hem of her modest skirt and tossing a few strands of her brown, riotous curls into her eyes. In frustration, she blew them back and continued her search as she reached her car.

If she hadn't known better, she would have sworn the little beaded bag had been magically charmed to expand far beyond it's small capacity. Seldom could she find anything she was actually looking for without pulling out other random things beforehand. As she continued her search, Hermione failed to notice the second car parked a couple yards away, within the shadows where the light did not reach.

 _'Finally!'_ she thought triumphantly as she extracted the jingling keys before slipping the appropriate one into the car door and turning it.

The sound of the latch releasing was a rewarding one and she smiled to herself as she climbed inside. Leaving the door ajar so that she could use the interior light to find the ignition switch, she never noticed the shadowy figure approaching her side of the car from the direction of the other car until it was too late.

The next thing she knew, something cold and metallic was pressed against her temple and a menacing, male voice spoke. "Move over and buckle up baby. We're going for a ride."

She gasped as her pulsed raced in fear. She had nothing to defend herself with, she realized in terror. How stupid of her to have left home without the mace she normally carried with her. But even if she _**had**_ thought to bring it, would it have mattered? He had a gun to her head and she would most likely be dead before she could ever find the small bottle among the clutter in her bag. Resigning to the fact that she was helpless, Hermione complied to the stranger's command.

Hastily moving over in the seat, she reached with shaking hands, seeking out the ends of the safety belt and proceeded to buckle it around her slim waist. After she heard the click indicating that it was latched securely, she looked hesitantly back over at the man apparently intent on kidnapping her.

Her eyes widened in shock as the interior light illuminated a somewhat familiar face. The pale hair, sharp features and haughty expression. It was _**him**_ : Draco Malfoy. She briefly remembered that he had amusingly reminded her of a ferret at the time, though now his eyes held a hint of cruel malice and he looked anything but harmless. He had been hassling her earlier in the store, but she had scoffed at his pathetic pick-up lines and promptly told him where he could get off. He'd glared at her angrily and left immediately afterward, so she hadn't thought much more about the incident after that. Obviously she should not have written the ferret-face off so quickly.

"I see you remember me. Guess you shouldn't have been all high and mighty earlier, huh?" Malfoy smirked as he closed the door, casting them into shadow as the interior bulb went out.

Hermione watched him from the corner of her eye as the vehicle revved to a start. Her brown eyes widened suddenly after her gaze jumped to the forest on the edge of the lot. Something had just moved through the trees, she was sure of it, a red streak among the dark shadows.

Draco held down the clutch then switched the car into first gear, driving agonizingly slow in the direction of the exit. He turned to her as a wicked grin spread across his face, twisting his handsome features into something ugly and it filled Hermione with dread. She gasped when she felt his hand come to rest on her knee. It squeezed slightly before crawling upwards to her inner thigh as a loud _THUMP_ shook the vehicle. He stopped moving.

"What the bloody hell was that?" he exclaimed, his face turned up, staring at the depressed ceiling.

Hermione's startled scream filled the car as she scrunched down and over in her seat until she was huddled against the passenger side door. She looked up, seeing the double indentation above, as if someone had landed with their feet on top of the roof. Then the sound of ripping metal filled the car. She screamed yet again, her voice mixing with the horrible sound as well as Malfoy's own shouts. With sudden force, the driver's side door was ripped from its hinges. Sparks flew as the door fell to the passing blacktop and skidded across the parking lot.

"What the fu - Argh!" Malfoy's exclamation was cut off in a terror-filled cry as a creature's head filled the space where the car door had once been.

The canine-like animal's head loomed above his leg before biting into the soft flesh fluidly, blood spraying from the wound and flecks of sticky warmth covered Hermione's top and hands. The creature then twisted its neck to drag the man out of the seat of the car. He panicked, caught in his own seatbelt while attempting to throw the beast off by thrashing his leg in harsh spasms. Resistance was futile. Its strength surpassed his own tenfold and beyond, and he resulted only in putting vast amounts of pressure on the pedal beneath his foot and causing the car to race wildly to the curb. The vehicle jumped over it, onto the grass.

Hermione's head was whipped forward violently toward the dashboard. The seatbelt was the only thing to deter the rest of her body from following as the car rammed into one of the trees, the impact bringing it to an abrupt halt. A steady cloud of steam wafted from beneath the hood of the car as a result of the crash. She could hardly hear her attempted kidnapper's screams above her own pulse drumming rapidly in her ears as he was torn from the car, the large animal playing with him with its paws. Letting out a yelp, she covered her head with her arms and brought her knees up to her chest as his screams stopped.

Hearing a snort, she was unable to resist as she lifted her head suddenly to see the creature stare back at her through the passenger side window. Its red tinged fur stood out against the dark background and amber eyes seemed to glow with hunger. All reasonable thought and feeling left her as its fierce gaze rested on her, their eyes locked, its breath collecting on the glass. The lump steadily growing in her throat was now unbearably huge, sucking all moisture out of her mouth as it gave another snort, and trotted off to the woods.

She saw it look back once, its golden eyes flashing brightly as its tail lashed about its body wildly before disappearing into the darkness.

Shakily, Hermione unlatched herself from the strap which confined her to her seat. She moved over, positioning herself behind the steering wheel, her hands automatically gripping it tight enough to turn her knuckles white. Letting out a shuddering breath, she trained her eyes forward so as not to look at the crumpled body laying off to her left. She turned the key, intending on cranking the car and getting out of there fast. Her heart dropped as the engine continued to turn over but refused to roar to life.

In dismay, she allowed her head to fall forward, resting her forehead on the steering wheel briefly as she tried to collect her thoughts. Okay, that git from earlier had attempted to kidnap and, possibly, rape her, only to be stopped by some wild creature. With a gasp, Hermione's head shot up to look around quickly. The creature was still gone. It had not returned to kill her, despite the fact that it had easy access to her and she had no way of escaping. A wave of relief broke on her, only to be replaced by anxiety.

 _'What do I do now?'_ she thought to herself, searching her surroundings for options.

 _'Fred! George!'_ she gasped, the idea dawning on her. Jumping from the car, she grabbed her purse and made a quick break for the street.

Striding across the asphalt, she felt the eerie presence of something lurking, almost protecting her. A pair of eyes watched her from afar, a threat to all who neared. She stopped in her pace, a chill spiking up and down her spine as her gaze shot to the forest for a mere second, then turned back immediately. Not wanting to have to see what was almost certainly waiting for her, she lifted a hand to shield her eyes from the trees.

It took an eternity to reach the end of the haunted place. Stepping into the open, she was greeted by cold wet blades of grass. The early morning dew was already beginning to collect on the ground as she realized she had lost a shoe in the chaos she had just partaken in. Staring back at her old car, Hermione decided that she could live without it. Whatever was back there could take it.

Racing through the night, Hermione's heart seemed to lighten as she saw the familiar building housed at 93 Diagon Alley, in which her best friends, Fred and George Weasley, lived in the flat above the business they ran together. She quickly made her way to the door, her heart practically leaping from her chest as her breathing sped up. She couldn't keep her mind from wandering to random scenes in every horror movie she had ever watched in which the heroine, on the brink of reaching safety, is snatched up from behind by the grotesque monster and devoured. With a desperate burst of speed, Hermione flung herself at the front door to the joke shop, pounding on it frantically for her friends to "open up and let her in".

Hermione continued to pound on the door, not caring if neighbors heard her or not, her only thought to get to her friends. With each passing second, the tension grew more and more intense as no one came to the door. Hermione could feel her chest constrict in terror as the flitting thought that nobody was home passed through it.

 _'No,'_ she thought. _'They have to be there... They_ _ **have**_ _to be!'_

With a renewed vigor, she continued her assault on the door, the panicked beating of her heart pounding in time with each rap of her fist on the polished wood. A soft rustling in the nearby alley leading behind the shop caused her entire body to freeze. Her balled fist paused in its descent as her brown eyes widened slightly.

 _'What was that?!'_

Her overactive imagination quickly kicked in, supplying her with multiple answers, each more disturbingly frightening than the last.

"Oh, God!" she exclaimed as, from the edge of her peripheral vision, she spied something long and crimson disappearing around the shadowed corner.

Her pounding resumed with both fists now. A renewed vigor filled her, leaving no room for sensible coherency, which had all but left her since fleeing the parking lot. Her only thoughts were to Get. Inside. Get To Fred. To George. and so she continued nonstop until she was suddenly bathed in the luminescent light from the shop's interior. But she didn't stop. Someone was there, inside, acknowledging her presence at the front door, and because of this, she dared not stop. Her entire body was pressed to the door, her fists flailing wildly...

And then it was gone.

The supporting surface disappeared from beneath her as it was pulled open, leaving her to hang almost comically in her leaning position before she fell helplessly over the threshold...

...directly into a pair of warm, waiting arms.

Hermione looked up slowly; her brown gaze rising hesitantly to meet with the warm, comforting blue eyes of Fred. His gentle smile... his bright, crimson hair... Never in her life had she been so glad to see him than at that moment. Everything about him, every single thing, was reassuring and comforting, especially his arms that gently held her.

"Hermione? God, you're trembling. Are you alright...?"

Unable to speak, Hermione trembled with mixed relief and remnants of fright as she shook her head frantically. No. She most definitely was _not_ alright.

Fred lifted his gaze from the clearly distressed woman in his arms to take a cursory glance through the front door. All looked as it should be and so he reached out and gave the door a slight push, causing it to swing back and met the facing with a soft click. Gathering her back up in both arms, the red head led his friend across the shop and up the winding stairs to the flat above. Once inside, he drew her down onto the plush cushions of the couch.

He figured that it would be meaningless to ask 'what happened' and 'what the hell...' It just seemed tactless, so Fred simply continued to rub her shoulders soothingly, at first nervous, but forcing himself to calm. Gradually, Hermione's body stilled its shaking, relaxing in a way that it practically melded against his. Fred closed his eyes momentarily, relishing the feel of holding her soft body so close to his own. He smiled softly as, hesitantly, her arms encircled his waist and squeezed. He could still smell the blood on her sweater, her hands, her skin. But the acrid scent of fear was starting to fade. One hand still tracing light patterns on her back, Fred turned the other hand to stroke her neck, then cheek. One finger felt tears. Knowing she needed the extra assurance, he lowered his head so that his lips were a hair's breadth from her ear.

"Don't cry, Hermione. I will protect you."

Fred's soothing voice filled her ears, coaxing her into a deep sense of security. She was safe here, with him, and so allowed herself to sink into his embrace even more. A soft sigh escaped her as she felt him nuzzle her hair. She closed her eyes, reveling in the safety of his presence, comforted and feeling secure in the arms of her friend, completely unaware that instead of a deep blue, eyes of molten gold peered out through her curtain of auburn hair.


	2. Chapter 2

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 2 -**

* * *

 **Hogwart's Academy - Hermione's First Year**

* * *

Fred and George Weasley had always been mischievous boys. When they were younger they always tended to play pranks on their siblings, older and younger alike. School friends were not safe and anyone who crossed the twin redheads, well... Let's just say, their pranks tended to get a little _**less**_ humorous.

Needless to say, everyone who knew the Weasley twins knew _**not**_ to get on their bad side.

The twins had always known that they were different from other children, even those among their own family. It wasn't until they were older that the twins found out just how different they _**truly**_ were from other people. They didn't know how or why, but they felt connected to one another, somehow, much more so than any of their other siblings. So much so that they could quite literally read each other's minds. Fred could hear George's thoughts and vice versa.

It had taken until their eleventh birthday to develop the ability to shield themselves from each other's thoughts, to filter the emotions and distinguish exactly who was Fred and who was George. But by that time Fred and and George were so in sync and knew each other so well that it hardly mattered. They could finish each other's sentences and took relish in confusing and/or annoying people with their constant Twin-Speak whenever they could.

When they were thirteen things changed yet again with the arrival of a new student at their school. Hermione Granger was a first year at the boarding school of Hogwarts, a very studious child who was intent on earning straight A's and following the rules. The complete opposite of the twins. That, unfortunately, made her an easy target for bullies who immediately targeted the bushy haired brunette. Calling her names like, "Little-Miss-Know-It-All" and "Goody-Goody-Granger" though she seemed, for the most part, oblivious to it, keeping her nose forever in a book to study as she hid out in the school's library. Though, on some occasions, the words and actions of others did tend to get to her. One such occasion just happened to be what brought Hermione into the twins' orbit and put her on their radar, so to speak.

They were just passing the cafeteria on their way to meet their friend, Lee Jordan, when the girl came barreling out of the cafeteria and bumping into them, knocking them all ceremoniously to the ground.

George was the first to feel the pulling sensation that seemed to flare to life as the girl frantically rose to her feet, mumbling a soggy apology while swiping at the tears slipping silently down her cheeks. She gathered her books quickly and shuffled off with a barely audible sniffle, leaving the twins to stare after her from their still seated position on the hallway floor. George looked to Fred and noticing the curious look in his brother's blue eyes, opened their link.

 _'Did you feel that, Gred?'_

 _'Indeed, I did, Forge. What do you think that was about?'_

 _'I don't rightly know. I think, perhaps, we should investigate.'_

 _'I agree.'_

With a synchronized nod, the red heads rose to their feet and followed their quarry at a discreet distance.

They trailed her through the winding hallways of the school, finally ending at the entrance to the library, which wasn't a typical hang out spot for the twins. It was not for a lack of interest in learning that they'd never entered the library, they had just never needed to. For some reason, during the course of their education, they simply knew things already, leaving it a moot point to study. It had all come to them naturally and they had never made it a point to wonder just where their knowledge came from.

They shared a look and shrugged before pushing through the swinging doors. The pulling sensation they'd felt earlier returned and they allowed it to lead them towards the back of the room and up a flight of stairs to the dusty set bookshelves that had been jokingly called the "Restricted Section" a portion of the library that hardly anyone inhabited.

There, settled between the stacks, Hermione sat with her legs drawn to her chest and her face buried against her knees as she slender shoulders shook silently. Without a word needing to be spoke, the twins moved to settle, one on either side of the crying girl. Her body stiffened when she finally felt their presence and she brought her face up to look, but not before swiping her wet cheeks dry on the fabric of her worn jeans.

"What do you two want?" she asked in a confused voice. "I already apologized for bumping into you earlier."

"Bumping into us, she says." George sent a teasing look over her head at his twin who returned the look with a grin.

"Mowed us down, more like. You have quite the tackling arm there, Kit. Might ought to try out for rugby, you should." Fred didn't know why but the urge for contact with the girl overtook him and he nudged her shoulder with his own as he spoke.

A shiver ran down Hermione's arm at the contact and she leaned away slightly with wide eyes. Somehow, she could tell the twins' teasing wasn't meant to be cruel and it confused her. Hardly anyone had made an attempt at friendly banter with her since she'd started this school. She'd been somewhat of an outcast to be honest. A boy named Neville Longbottom had shyly spoken to her on occasion, but their interactions hadn't shouted 'bestest of friends'. There was Harry Potter, whom Hermione had met on the bus her first day, who acted as though he didn't mind spending time with her, but then that had been screwed up by Ron and his big mouth, spouting off hurtful things without thinking...

Something in what Fred had said caught her attention then, bringing her back to her present companions.

"Kit?" she raised a delicately arched brow as she eyed him in question.

"Er..." Fred glanced at his brother and then back down at the girl, for once at a loss for what to say. "Well..."

"It suits you," George interjected, bringing Hermione's attention back to him, then continued as if that explained everything. "Now, tell ol' Gred and Forge what got you so upset earlier."

This was incredibly weird, Hermione surmised. She knew of the Weasley Twins. Of course, everyone at Hogwarts had. Fred and George were mischief making pranksters and rule breakers. Both athletic and popular among the student body. Everything that Hermione Granger was not. So _**why**_ were they taking time to see about her problems? Sure, it had been their younger brother, Ron, who had made the off handedly rude comment to her in the cafeteria that had brought on the onslaught of tears that had made her run away earlier, but they didn't know that. So why were they here?

"Well, if you must know, your brother's a right git." she said this matter-of-factly, not caring if the twins took offense at her bad mouthing Ron. To her surprise the older boys laughed in amused delight instead of being offended on behalf of their younger sibling.

"Cor, she's sure got ickle Ronnikins pegged, doesn't she, George!" Fred draped an arm around her shoulders, much to her surprise.

"That she does, Fred!" George agreed before slipping his own arm around her shoulders, slightly below his brother's nearer her shoulder blades. "So, what exactly did our beloved Ronald say or do this time to ensure his title of 'King of the Gits'?"

Hermione blushed at their sudden close proximity. She quickly shook it off though, as well as their arms, and rose to her feet, turning to stare down at them with hands propped on her hips as if preparing to give a lecture.

"You want to know what he said?" she asked, not really waiting for their reply before continuing, telling them what their little brother had said. And true to form, his words had indeed instilled his Git-ness in their minds. The twins shook their heads as they stared up at the now fuming girl. At least she wasn't crying now, they both happily took notice. Why exactly this fact made them happy, they pushed to the back of their minds.

They would ponder more on that later.

Instead, the twins rose to their feet and, turning Hermione, began herding her towards the exit to the library, once again one on either side. They proceeded to inform the brunette on the many different ways they tended to deal with their little brother, or anyone else for that matter, when they were being a pain. They then offered to instigate any one of those ways in order to establish a sense of retribution to her honor.

No matter how much Hermione tried to remind herself that she wasn't a vengeful person, that she normally would never have approved of what the twins were proposing, she instead found herself smiling in acceptance, and thus beginning an odd friendship between the three.

* * *

 _ **The Twins' Flat - Thursday Night**_

* * *

Fred sat on the couch cradling Hermione against him for a moment before looking over his shoulder towards the door that led to his brother's bedroom. "Oi, Georgie, get your lazy arse out here! Kit needs us!"

For a moment the only sounds in the apartment was the soft breathing from the brunette woman in his arms. Just as he was about to call to his twin again, the sound of movement reached their ears as George emerged from the depths of his room, donning pajama bottoms and hastily pulling a blue t-shirt over his head. He looked a bit disheveled, as if he'd been in a hurry to dress. When his head popped through the neck hole of the shirt, he cast a worried look toward the brunette in his brother's arms.

George was across the room in an instant, kneeling at Hermione's feet and drawing her gently away from Fred and into his own arms. She went willingly, slipping into the embrace like it was second nature, and perhaps it was. She sighed softly as the feeling of safety was reconfirmed. She felt Fred shift beside her, his arms going around her waist as he leaned into her as well.

"It was horrible," Hermione murmured into the crook of George's neck. "I had just gotten off work and was at my car when this creep who'd been harassing me earlier pulled a gun on me." The kneeling twin's eyes met his brother's over her head as they carried on a silent conversation.

 _'What the fucking hell, Forge?! How could you let that happen to her?!'_

 _'Calm down, Gred.'_ George soothed his brother, sending waves of calm through their link. _'I took care of it.'_

Hermione was continuing with her story, unbeknownst to their telepathic communication. "And then this... this _**thing**_ came out of nowhere and grabbed him and flung him out of the car. I couldn't move, I was so scared. I think... I think it killed him. I'm not sure." she shuddered in their arms. "It could have killed me, too."

"Never," George murmured without thinking, causing Hermione's brows to furrow.

She pulled away slightly in order to look him in the eye. "H-how could you know that?"

Fred shot George a warning look. George swallowed hard, attempting to gather his thoughts in order to come up with something to explain away his careless confession.

"What my darling twin meant was that it's possible that you weren't in danger from the creature. I mean, some animals are pretty smart, right? It could have sensed that the wanker was up to no good and acted accordingly."

"Right," George added, attempting to stir her thinking in another direction. A direction where she wasn't suspicious of him. "I mean; did it seem like it was going to hurt you in any way?"

Hermione was silent for a moment as she replayed her encounter with the creature in her mind. When her eyes had made contact with its glowing gaze through the passenger window, Hermione had been terrified, but that was mostly due to the adrenaline that had been pumping through her veins. If she was honest with herself, she hadn't been scared of the creature, not really, just of the situation she'd found herself in. Potentially being kidnapped and assaulted tended to have that affect.

"I suppose not," she said softly. George let out a silent sigh of relief, as did Fred.

"Okay," George grabbed her hands with his and gently pulled her to her feet. "How about we get you cleaned up, yeah?"

Hermione nodded weakly and allowed George to lead her to the only bathroom in the flat. Fred slipped into his bedroom, reemerging shortly with a red t-shirt and a spare pair of boxers for her to change into. He handed them to her as she stood in the doorway. "There are fresh towels in the cabinet above the loo. Take your time. We'll be right here when you get out." George assured her before stepping back to allow her to close the door, issuing a soft 'Thank you,' in their direction as she did so.

Hermione sat her bundle of clothes on the counter before moving to withdraw a soft towel from the cabinet and placing it within reach of the shower. Turning the knobs to adjust the temperature of the water, she began removing her blood spattered top. Her hands began trembling halfway through the buttons and she had to close her eyes for a moment in order to gather herself enough to make them stop. When she opened her eyes once again, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror above the sink.

She looked a right fright that was for sure. Her hair was wilder than normal, if that were even possible, and her brown eyes were wide and bloodshot from her crying and the terror of the events that had occurred. A soft sob escaped her lips as she wondered how the boys had not completely panicked upon seeing her in such a state.

"Ugh, this was an utter nightmare." she muttered as she continued to remove her top with a little less trembling hands.

Once she'd divested herself of the stained blouse, she quickly removed the remaining articles of clothing and slipped beneath the gentle spray of water. She sighed as the warm liquid washed away the blood and grime as well as the remaining tension that held her body taut.

She took a sponge that hung nearby and used it to spread body wash over herself, completely removing the remainder of the night's events from her body. She collected her thoughts and they immediately went back to the handsome men who awaited her in the living room. She knew she was safe here, with the twins. It was odd, but she'd always felt safe with them, from the moment they'd struck up their friendship her first year at Hogwarts and the consecutive years that followed. They'd been special to her for a while now...

She remembered the way Fred, and then George, had held her in their arms. It had felt nice being in each of their arms as they'd comforted her, but it hadn't been until they had _**both**_ held her there on the couch that it had felt... _**right**_. She blushed furiously at that thought, trying to deny what all it entailed. She couldn't possibly fancy them both! Could she?

As she continued to muse over her feelings for the twins, the water had begun to turn cold, signifying that she'd been in there long enough. She turned off the water and, reaching for her towel, stepped from the tub and began to dry off.

Once Hermione had disappeared from view, George stared at the closed bathroom door a moment before turning to face his twin. Fred stood eyeing him from his place back beside the sofa. He let out a sigh, raking his fingers through his already messy red hair, doing nothing to giving it an even more unkempt look before moving to stand beside Fred.

 _'Did you really kill the guy?'_ Fred's mental question was reflected in his blue gaze. George met it steadily with his own.

 _'He still had a heartbeat when I left.'_ George assured, but he wasn't entirely sure how far his fangs had punctured Malfoy's leg. There had been an awful lot of blood. He shuddered as he recalled the coppery taste that had filled his mouth. Bitter and disgusting, just like the man.

He had remembered the blonde haired git from their school days immediately, though he wasn't entirely sure if Hermione had. He'd been in her year, if he was correct. He'd been just as arrogant and unpleasant then as he'd apparently grown up to be now.

Fred nodded, his eyes darting toward the bathroom door. He could hear the sounds of water running and for a moment his mind filled with images of a naked Hermione, her body glistening beneath the spray of the showerhead. George growled as the image seeped through their link. They had to pull themselves back from such thoughts. Now was not the time.

 _'Do you think she suspects?'_ George inquired and Fred scoffed aloud as he stared back pointedly.

 _'No thanks to you. But give her time though, she'll figure it out. She's a bright one, our Kit.'_

"Do we want her to figure it out?" George spoke aloud for the first time since Hermione had gone into the bathroom. He kept his voice hushed though so the sound didn't carry through to the brunette.

Fred gave a sigh that was laced with stress as he also glanced toward the bathroom door. "I don't know, I mean part of me wants her to but another part wants her far, far away from it." he admitted, then shook his head. "But honestly, it would be better for everyone involved if she knew."

"You're right. We need to be the ones to tell her, though." George stated with a firm nod of his head.

Fred cast him a look that said 'I know that, you idiot.' but instead replied. "How can we explain what we are when we don't rightly know ourselves? We've got to figure this out first, Forge."

"I say we man up and expand in our research. Look outside of Britain? Maybe we could find something in texts from other cultures..."

"That could take some time," Fred picked up the sound of movement from the bathroom and he realized that the sound of running water had ceased.

George noticed as well and replied mentally. _'It could, but it'll be worth it in the end. We have to know what we are. Why we can do what we do.'_

 _'It's settled then. We'll expand our search to other continents. There's bound to be references to creatures that resemble our other form, somewhere.'_ Fred replied before the sound of the bathroom door clicking open ended their conversation completely. At least for now.

As one, the red heads turned to face Hermione as she reentered the living room.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Please leave a review. I plan on posting a chapter a day until I have caught up to what I have written so far, so please let me know if you're liking it or not.


	3. Chapter 3

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 3 -**

* * *

Hermione entered the living room, and as one, the twins turned to look at her. She fidgeted nervously under the dual gazes cast upon her. Their blue eyes seemed to pierce her like never before due to the newfound revelation concerning her feelings for them. Suddenly bashful, she cast her eyes downward as she toyed with the hem of the shirt she wore - Fred's shirt.

Even if he hadn't brought it to her from his room earlier, she realized she would have still been able to tell it was his. It fell just below her hips, covering the slightly too large boxers beneath it. It smelled like him. It was one of the many ways she could always tell them apart, their scent. Fred smelled distinctly different from George.

George had a warm, earthy scent, like an open field after a summer rain, whereas Fred held the heady scent of a dense forest with a hint of pine. Both were very appealing to her. If she were being honest with herself, which, apparently she suddenly was when it came to the twins, their scents had the tendency to make her a bit weak-kneed when they were close to her, like earlier. It had been the feel of their arms around her combined with the aroma of their merged essences that had really chased away her fears.

Swallowing a lump that had suspiciously formed in her throat, Hermione raised her gaze up from where it had dropped to the floor and met the twins' eyes just in time to see the corner of Fred's lips quirk upwards into the hint of a smile. It seemed the sight of her in one of his shirts amused him. His eyes darted down the length of her body, taking in her appearance, as did George's. She could have sworn their eyes seemed to darken just a bit.

Hermione shook herself, this was ridiculous. It was just Fred and George! The two red headed pranksters who had been her friends since she was twelve. She stepped toward them until she had joined them by the sofa.

"Thank you," she said softly. "I appreciate the bath and clothes... I feel loads better."

"Not a problem, love." George told her, grinning.

"Yeah, you can steal my boxers anytime." Fred teased, his own grin growing into a full fledged smile.

"And now, you my dearest Kit, are going to rest. Seems you've had a bit of a long night. I'm sure you could use it. Take my bed." George stated. As he spoke he moved to grasp Hermione by the shoulders, turning her around and ushering her towards the door that led to his room.

"Are you sure?" Hermione questioned, looking over her shoulder at him. His hands seemed to burn her through the shirt as he squeezed her arms gently.

In reply, George propelled her into the bedroom and toward the bed, Fred following close behind.

"We're sure." came a dual reply.

Hermione rolled her eyes and with a resigned sigh climbed onto the mattress and lay down. George pulled the covers up and tucked her in tenderly while Fred smoothed her hair with one calloused hand. And then they both surprised her by leaning over and placing a kiss to her head, one on each temple. They pulled away with smiles etched on their lips as she blinked up at them owlishly.

"G'night, love." again, they spoke as one, Fred adding a playful wink at her before they both turned and walked from the room.

Hermione managed to swallow the knot that had again formed in her throat at the feel of the twins' lips on her skin in time to whisper a reply just before the sound of the bedroom door clicking closed sounded.

"Goodnight."

It was on the eve of their fifteenth birthday, that Fred and George Weasley had discovered that they possessed certain abilities. They had felt it, as if something had stirred within them, unfurling a yearning to run, to jump, to hunt. Their eyes met, minds connecting to one another in silent agreement. They had snuck out of their family home and into the woods that very night. Once there, they had unleashed the urge, leaping with stealth and grace into the trees with an agility they had never known. With whoops of excitement and glee, the boys had flitted through the treetops, as if they had always been able to do so.

It was with this same graceful agility that Fred and George slipped from the flat not long after they'd sensed Hermione had fallen asleep. Making sure they were out of sight of any neighbors, the twins had took to the trees, George leading the way as they swiftly made their way back to the area in which Hermione's car sat.

Fred took note of the pool of blood on the ground near the wrecked car, as well as the lack of a dead body. It seemed as if George had been right, Malfoy _**had**_ survived his encounter with the eldest Weasley twin.

"We can't leave any evidence behind." George murmured as he knelt beside the blood stained earth. Placing his hands upon the ground, George concentrated, initiating an ability that they had been honing for only a few short months now. Along with their ability to change into their "Foxy Forms" as they called them, the twins had learned they could manipulate and control certain things, such as dirt. A glowing energy formed beneath George's palms, radiating into the soil and within just a few moments the blood had been absorbed, disappearing into the earth.

"There," George rose to his feet and glanced over at Fred who was just placing a cell phone to his ear. _'Are you calling who I think you're calling?'_

Fred nodded. _'Lee owes us a favor, so I figure it won't take much to convince him to come tow Kit's car to his garage. We can cover the expenses for the repairs, that way no authorities need be involved.'_

George sighed in relief. Good, one more problem taken care of. It was a good thing Lee Jordan, one of their friends from school, owned the local garage. He could only imagine the headache it would be if the police were to show up asking questions. He waited until Fred had finished conversing with their mechanic friend and hung up before he spoke again. "There's still the matter of Malfoy. He's managed to slither away like the snake he is, but I'm not confident that once he's recovered he won't try to harm Hermione again."

Fred's jaw tightened at the prospect of their Kit being in danger.

Their Kit. God, he liked the sound of that.

 _'We will just have to redouble our efforts to protect her, now, won't we?'_ Fred smirked at the ease with which they mentally conversed. It never got old.

George scoffed. He knew Hermione wasn't some damsel in distress. Despite having to have been rescued earlier that night ( _ **that**_ had been a special set of circumstances) they both knew Hermione was strong. They had gotten back at their little brother for his thoughtless, hurtful words to her during her first year of school (which they would forever be secretly thankful for, for it had led to the beginnings of their friendship) but despite that, she had stood up for herself quite brilliantly on most occasions. Of course, they had been there to back her up when necessary, but during those times they had been so proud of her.

The twins weren't idiots. They had sensed how the fondness they felt for her had deepened through the years. The link they had felt form from the moment she'd mowed them down in the hall in front of the cafeteria doors had grown stronger, changing into something a bit more intense with each milestone they'd achieved with their growing powers. They had definitely noticed when she had turned eighteen. The pull was almost undeniable now.

Not to mention the attraction.

It had been there, lying beneath the other emotions, just waiting for the right moment to spring forth.

And spring forth it had. When she had stood before them earlier in Fred's clothes, looking so small and vulnerable, they'd had the urge to pounce. To take her in their arms, to their bed, and never let her go. It had taken quite a bit of effort on their part to not do just that. No, it wasn't time for that yet.

Once they had finished their research and found answers to what they were exactly, answers that they could in turn give to her... Then they would claim her.

The red heads shared a look at the single thought occupying both their minds.

It had been extremely weird at first, realizing they both wanted the same girl. Strike that, the same woman. Even stranger, still, when realizing that there wasn't a hint of jealousy to be felt at the revelation. Sure, they'd shared things in the past. Toys during childhood, clothes and the like. But this was different.

They had both dated while in school, but never the same girl at the same time. Fred had dated Angelina Johnson up until their break up seventh year and George had taken Katie Bell and a string of other girls out regularly until the brothers had left school in order to follow their dream and open their business. Though, not once, had Fred nor George _**ever**_ felt the urge to join their brother in kissing their chosen partner at the time. It wasn't until Hermione had seemed to blossom before their eyes that the desire had emerged.

It felt so right, the need to make her theirs, that they simply could not deny it.

The lights of an approaching vehicle roused the boys from their thoughts. Lee had arrived and with the help of the twins, was soon backing the large tow truck up to the back bumper of Hermione's car. The large chain and hook was lowered slowly and Fred connected it securely to an axle, giving the side of the old Ford a rap to signify to that everything was ready to go.

Lee Jordan stuck his head out of the driver's side window, his normally long and loose hanging dread locks were pulled back into a ponytail away from his handsome face. "I reckon this makes us even then." He grinned at the twins who returned the gesture wholeheartedly.

"Don't push it, Jordan," Fred arched an eyebrow, his arms crossed in a mock stern posture, an action to which George mirrored.

"We'll have you know it took quite a bit of finagling-"

"-to get what you asked for."

"Lots of red tape, you see."

"So you might be hearing from us again in the near future."

Lee gave a sigh that was audible even over the roar of the big truck's engine. "I kinda figured that. It was worth a shot though." With a laugh and a wave he drew back into the cab and drove away.

Once the tail lights had disappeared around the bend, the twins took a moment to recheck the area to make sure there was no other evidence of the incident they were trying to cover up. Satisfied that there was nothing incriminatingly obvious, the pair took to the trees again and swiftly made their way back to the woman who lay sleeping in their flat, completely unaware of all they had done in order to protect her.

To all who knew of him, Lucius Malfoy was a very prominent, not to mention wealthy entrepreneur. He was strikingly handsome with an equally handsome son and a beautiful, loyal wife. To all who actually _**knew**_ and were _**acquainted**_ with him, he was ruthless and secretive, not to mention extremely vain. Having the position he held within the family business that had been passed down the genial Malfoy lines for decades didn't help make him any less vile either.

In other words, Lucius Malfoy was _**not**_ someone to be trifled with.

So when his only son was brought back to the mansion, sniveling like a coward while spouting nonsense about a monster in the woods and sporting a mangled leg dripping copious amounts of blood all over his imported Persian rug, Lucius did not take it well.

"Crabbe, Goyle," Lucius sneered at the two burly young men who had hold of Draco with firm grasps under each of his arms, keeping him propped up. "Take my son to his room." the two goons nodded, then left, a still crying Draco dangling between them. Once they had disappeared up the stairs, Lucius bellowed a summons. "Dobby!"

A small, elderly man shuffled in, his shriveled face fearful as he stood before his master. "Y-y-yes, Mr. Malfoy, sir?"

"Call for my physician immediately," Lucius ordered the timid servant, who nodded and turned to comply with his wishes. "And Dobby," the little man cringed as he froze mid-step when Malfoy continued. "Make sure to tell him that discretion is of the utmost importance."

After Dobby had scurried away to do his master's bidding, Lucius swept across the sitting room and ascended the stairs. Making his way down the hall towards his son's bedroom, the sound of Draco's voice could be heard through the mahogany door.

"It's all Granger's fault..." Draco muttered to himself, a sharp pain jolting him as he tried to move his injured leg to get more comfortable on the bed. "If I didn't have to give her such an important lesson in life, and teach her that her place is directly beneath me, both metaphorically and physically," he smirked to himself for a moment. "Then this wouldn't have happened."

Lucius was leaning against the doorway listening incredulously as his son talked to himself like some crazy person, blaming a girl for his troubles. _'How typical,'_ the elder Malfoy thought.

Pushing himself away from the archway, Lucius entered the room. "Now Draco, surely this Miss Granger didn't do this to you? I would hope that I did not raise a son who could be bested by someone as insignificant and weak as a little girl."

Draco's body stiffened at the sound of his father's disapproving voice, then winced as pain shot through his leg once again.

"Don't be ridiculous, father, _**she**_ didn't do this to me." he muttered as he gestured to his damaged limb.

His shirt and trousers had been removed so that he now sat upon the bed in only a pair of green boxers. Although a comforter had been thrown discretely over his lap, the injured leg lay atop it. Blood smeared the pale expanse of flesh and a set of puncture wounds lined his thigh that looked suspiciously like teeth marks.

"Then what, pray tell, did that, my dear Draco?" Lucius quiried, "And... don't you dare say 'it was a monster' again, or I swear I will have you committed to a psychiatric hospital. Despite my love for your dear Aunt Bella, insanity simply does not become you."

Draco gaped at his father for a moment. But it _**had**_ been a monster! It had looked somewhat like a normal fox, sure, but it had been huge! He could still feel its sharp teeth digging in as it ravaged his leg, its glowing eyes staring menacingly at him once it had torn him from the car. Swallowing hard, Draco realized that perhaps he did sound a bit barmy saying it was some creature. His father could be quite level-headed and sensible... sometimes, mostly when it came to the family business and dealing with those types of things, but he would not tolerate rubbish and he hated it when he thought he was being lied to."

So, instead of continuing along this vein of explanation, no matter how true it was, Draco decided to go about it another way.

"It was her stupid mongrel," he stated, not even knowing for sure if Granger had a pet, canine or otherwise, but it would have to do. "It might have even been rabid. I'll perish for sure!"

"Oh, no need for dramatics. I've already sent for the family physician. He shall be here shortly to patch you up."

Sure enough, just as he spoke, Augustus Pye, the Malfoy's personal family physician bustled into the room. He was an older gentleman with a receding hairline and half-moon spectacles perched upon an overly large nose. Deep, brown eyes shone with warmth as he went immediately to Draco's side. "Well, now, let's see what we have here, shall we?" the cheerful tone reflected the man's disposition as he happily prodded at Draco's leg, causing the young man to yell out in pain for the umpteenth time that night.

"Dammit, Gus, don't do that! Aren't you supposed to numb it or something before you go probing about?"

Lucius watched as the healer proceeded to tend to his son, pulling the things needed from his bag in order to clean the wounds, followed by a bandage to staunch the blood and bind the leg. As he watched Pye work, Malfoy's frown deepened. He did not like that something had attacked his son, not one bit. Turning on his heel, Lucius left the bedroom and headed toward his study. As much of a disappointment as Draco had come to be, he loved boy, and so for that reason Lucius would see to it that this Miss Granger would pay.

Oh, yes, she would surely pay indeed.

She writhed and moaned upon the bed, her fingers desperately clutching the sheets as her head thrashed side to side in distress. Hermione was trapped. She whimpered in fear while, in her mind, she found herself once again held at gunpoint inside her car. Malfoy had the gun trained on her as he leered, his steel grey eyes hungrily roving her curves in a way that she could practically feel it and she shuddered in disgust.

She cried out as the hand not holding the gun reached out to grab her, pulling her close. Squeezing her eyes together in terror, she felt the cold metal of the gun's barrel press to her temple as a brutal mouth assaulted hers, teeth biting her tender lips causing her to cry out yet again.

And then she was free.

She opened her eyes to discover that she was no longer trapped inside the car with her assailant. Instead, she stood amidst towering trees, a silvery mist wove its way through the foliage and caressing her body, setting a calming scene. Movement within the brush caused her to tense, however, and her calm wavered.

"Who's there?"

When he emerged from behind a particularly large tree, Hermione gasped and she took an involuntary step back. There it stood, the creature that had ripped Malfoy from the car and thus effectively saving her. Her first thought was to run, to escape, but then a voice echoed within her mind, making a presence known that she had been unaware of until now.

 _'Don't be afraid. I will not harm you.'_

The voice was smooth, like silk, deep and assuring. Rust red fur and glowing eyes and wickedly sharp teeth, but somehow, with those eight simple words, her fear had been banished.

Boldly, she took a step towards him. "You- you can speak?"

 _'In this manner, yes. We are connected, you and I.'_

"What exactly are you?" she asked once she'd reached him. She stretched out one tentative hand and stroked his head, her fingers weaving through the thick, soft fur. "I mean, you look sort of like a fox, only... larger."

For a moment, he didn't respond, simply reveling in the attention, but finally he spoke _. 'That is something you need not know at this time. You only thing you need to know is that I am your friend and would never hurt you. In any way.'_

"Why did you save me?"

 _'We will always protect you.'_

At those words, a sense of peace settled over Hermione and she felt her body relax. She was surrounded by mist now, growing denser, more hazy so that her view was obscured. Realizing that slumber was about to overwhelm her final bit of consciousness, she asked one final question of her newfound guardian.

"Do you have a name?"

Just before she slipped into blissful oblivion, she heard a deep chuckle, followed by his reply.

 _'Our name is Akio.'_

George sat, perched upon the side of the bed, looking down at the young woman who had finally settled into a dreamless sleep. When he and Fred had returned to the flat earlier, they had been alerted by her distressed cries from the bedroom. They instantly ran to her side to find her thrashing on the bed, clearing suffering from the grip of the nightmare she was experiencing.

In an attempt to calm her down, George had sat beside her on the bed, taking one of her hands in his own and squeezing it gently, and then an idea formed in his mind.

Now, a few minutes after he had established their mental link and used it to situate himself into her dream, he'd allowed himself time to alleviate the guilt he had been feeling all night. He hated the thought that she was frightened of him, of his other form, when all he had wanted was to protect her, to keep her safe. He smiled happily down at her now that her fear of him had been laid to rest.

Movement from the doorway drew George's attention back to Fred, who had been watching the entire exchange and listening in on the mental conversation, but staying out of it for the most part. "I take it that helped."

George let out a deep, cleansing sigh and grinned over his shoulder at his twin. "Oh, yes. It helped."

Fred smiled as well and nodded. "Good." George gently laid Hermione's hand down and adjusted the covers before rising and rejoining his twin. Together, they exited the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind them. Fred's expression turned thoughtful then.

"Akio?" He inquired, for some reason the name sounded familiar to him despite having never heard it his entire life.

George shrugged. "I don't know. When she asked me, it just came to me automatically." He tilted his head as a thought occurred. "You think it might be something to look into to help our research?"

"It couldn't hurt." Fred responded. "But first, let's get some sleep, yeah? It's been a long night."

"Indeed it has, brother mine. But just so you know, we're bunking together. There's no way in hell I'm sleeping on that sofa. I don't know why we bought it, it's bloody uncomfortable."

"If you say so." Fred laughed softly, and with that they retired to Fred's bedroom for the remainder of the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 4 -**

* * *

 _ **The Twins' Flat - Friday Morning**_

* * *

The sun's rays filtered through the window blinds, casting warm beams of light across the bed and its lone occupant. Hermione lay entangled in the bedding, her hair spread out in a halo around her head as she slowly began to awaken from her slumber. First one, then both eyes opened slightly, squinting as the harsh brightness assaulted them. A soft groan escaped her lips as she sat up and looked around the room in confusion.

 _'This isn't my room.'_ she thought drowsily.

Then the memories hit her. With a gasp she recalled everything that had transpired last night. Draco and his abduction of her, the unbelievable rescuer, her flight to the twins' flat and their comforting arms. They had calmed her fear, taking care of her and putting her to bed, but now...

Now she had to face the music.

She had to go to the police. Her car was crashed on the side of the road with most likely a dead body beside it, for goodness sake! She was surprised they were not beating down the door at this very moment. Of course, since she was at the twins' home and not her own, she couldn't be sure they weren't.

Her mind began to whir into action as she began to compile a list of all the logical questions she was sure to be asked. Stumbling from the bed, Hermione looked around only to remember that the only clothes she had with her were blood stained and lying in a heap on the bathroom floor. Tugging at the hem of Fred's shirt, she groaned as she realized she didn't have a thing to wear!

Resolving herself to the fact that she would have to emerge and do what had to be done, Hermione made her way to the bedroom door.

Through their link with the pretty brunette, the twins had sensed Hermione rousing from sleep. They knew it was only a matter of time before she emerged like a bushy haired whirlwind ready to 'do the right thing'.

Sure enough, she entered the living room with a look of determination on her face. George was sitting on the sofa, morning paper in hand. The sound of rattling pots and pans issuing from the kitchen area gave Fred's whereabouts away quite effectively. She couldn't help a small smile tug at the corners of her lips at the thought of Fred attempting to make breakfast.

George had looked up from his paper the instant he heard the bedroom door open. "Good morning, Sunshine!" he greeted her with a smile.

The rattling from the kitchen stopped abruptly and Fred appeared in the doorway not long after, sporting an identical smile. "You hungry, pet? I've got the kettle on for some tea. Would you prefer bacon or sausage with your eggs?"

Hermione smiled at the picture he presented. Fred was still in his pajama pants and t-shirt as he held a spatula in one hand and a carton of eggs in the other. A hand towel was thrown haphazardly over his left shoulder and he was donning an apron that read "My Main Ingredient Is Mischief" she hadn't ever noticed before. He looked quite adorable.

Hermione shook herself mentally. She couldn't be thinking things like that now! "No time, I need to go back to my house." she stated simply.

Fred and George frowned, looked at each other and back to her.

"Why?" George asked as he laid his paper on the small table before him.

Fred retreated back into the kitchen, reappearing a few seconds later sans dishcloth, eggs and spatula, though he still wore the apron.

"I need a change of clothes. The ones I wore last night are ruined," she said in response to George.

"And just what's wrong with what you're wearing?" Fred asked as he stepped closer to draw her into a hug. "I happen to think this look suits you."

Hermione blushed as she rolled her eyes at this but allowed herself to be pulled into Fred's arms. She returned the hug before drawing back to bestow a similar hug to George. "Well, I obviously can't wear your boxers and shirt to the police station, no matter how comfortable they are Fred."

As she was wrapped in George's arms, she missed the look shared between the twins. They had known she would worry about the events that had transpired the previous night once she was awake. Her brilliant mind was aces at working itself into a frenzy once given the chance. It was just what she did, overthinking. She was probably even blaming herself for whatever reason and they couldn't have that. They had to reassure her that none of it was her fault in any way, and that they had taken care of things.

That is, without giving away too much of exactly _**how**_ they had.

Distraction seemed to be the answer, and so, without a word, Fred slid against her back as she was still wrapped up in George's arms, effectively making a very delicious Hermione sandwich.

He nuzzled into her neck, and softly murmured. "There's no need to go anywhere, love, we've taken care of everything, so you needn't worry."

Hermione melted into their shared presence, it was like the warmest sunlight and the softest silk caressed her. "Mm." she mumbled softly, but then what Fred said reached her brain. She stiffened slightly. "Wait. What do you mean you've taken care of it?"

Sensing that her mind was attempting to kick into overtime, the twins took action. Fred drew back as George moved to cradle Hermione's face with his hands, urging her to meet his eyes. "What we mean, Kit, is exactly what he said. We've taken care of it. Your car is safely tucked away at Lee's garage under repairs as we speak. And that git who attacked you, well, seeing as he was nowhere to be seen, I assume he's at a hospital somewhere recovering at this very moment."

Hermione jerked back, eyes wide at this. "You went back there? Are you mad? _**He**_ could have still been there. Even if he was protecting me, there's no reason to think he wouldn't have attacked you as well! And if Malfoy _**did**_ survive then don't you think he would be calling the police to report the attack, even if it was something out of the ordinary?"

"Hush now, love," Fred wrapped his arms around her middle and drew her back against him, once more nuzzling her neck. George also resumed his position pressed against her front, his hands leaving her face to instead grip her hips in an almost possessive hold. Despite her sudden bout of panic, Hermione felt herself calming almost instantly.

"You said yourself that the creature seemed to be protecting you. And we went there with intent on doing the same. It _**is**_ our sacred duty, after all, and I'm sure whatever he is sensed that we meant no harm and thus didn't bother us." the soft timbre of George's voice lulled Hermione as he whispered into her ear.

"And as for that Malfoy bloke, He'd be insane to admit to being attacked by some monster. I'm sure your secret Protector is safe." Fred's voice drifted into her other ear, completing her undoing as her mind became unraveled, her body relaxing between them.

Once they felt the tension leave Hermione's body, the twins' eyes locked above her head.

 _'Secret Protector? Really Fred?'_ George teased.

Fred blushed slightly. _'Shut it.'_ he retorted silently.

George smirked before drawing back from Hermione. Bringing a hand up, He used his fingers to too her chin up till she was looking at him. "Now, I suggest you take Freddie up on his offer for breakfast, seeing as we have quite the day planned for you."

"You do?"

 _'We do?'_ Fred's voice in his head sounded just as surprised as Hermione looked.

George smiled smugly. The idea had actually just come to him and he had yet to relay it to Fred. Sending a mental apology to his twin, He continued. "Indeed we do. We're taking you to the zoo. Seeing as you have a soft spot for exotic creatures and such, thought it might make you feel better not to mention take your mind off other unpleasant matters."

Fred had already withdrawn and was heading toward the kitchen. "That's right," he said, not missing a beat. "So my earlier question still stands, pet." he stopped at the doorway and looked back at Hermione who was smiling at the prospect of spending the day with them both. "Sausage or bacon?"

Hermione laughed. "Bacon, please." Then something occurred to her once Fred had entered the kitchen. She looked down at herself and so did George, remembering her attire and instantly knowing what she was going to say.

"You know; I can't go to the zoo dressed like this either." Hermione arched an eyebrow in question, her hands sweeping the length of her body as if to display her attire to George.

The way George's eyes heatedly followed the path her hands had made startled her. Was he really admiring her body? She could feel her cheeks ignite as her body reacted to his gaze. All of a sudden it was way too hot in the room, leaving Hermione panting for breath.

George licked his lips, averting his eyes and breaking the spell in order to gather himself. From the kitchen the sound of a pan hitting the floor followed by Fred cursing could be heard.

 _'What the bloody hell was that Forge? All of a sudden I'm dealing with a very prominent problem, if you know what I mean. Was that coming from you?'_

 _'Actually, it was coming from Hermione.'_ George sent the mental reply to his brother at the same time he replied verbally to Hermione. "Well then, my dear Kit, we will just have to remedy that by making a quick trip to your place then, won't we. If you don't mind wearing a pair of my jogging bottoms, we can go fetch you an outfit and be back by the time Fred finishes breakfast."

"That's so kind of you, George, thank you." Hermione managed to say. She watched as George hastily made his way to his bedroom.

 _'Honestly, Hermione! Get a grip.'_ she mentally chastised herself, having finally gathered her wits after being hit by the overwhelming desire she had experienced. _'You've only just realized you fancy them last night. They don't even know! Besides, they only think of you as a friend.'_ Though, by the way George had been looking at her, she was beginning to doubt that assessment.

Once in his bedroom, George took the time to change clothes as he gathered his thoughts as well as emotions. The sheer lust had been visible in Hermione's eyes but a moment, but the impact had been like a tidal wave hitting him full force. He'd had to break eye contact or risk the possibility of doing something rather rash. Like grabbing her into his arms and snogging the devil out of her. Clearly, the link that had mysteriously established between them upon their first time meeting her had strengthened through time just as much as their friendship had. Fred's inquiry was a sure sign he had felt it too through their link, only he had more than likely sensed it from both sides. His and Hermione's.

Taking a last look at his appearance, George took a calming breath, before retuning with the promised article of clothing. He handed the soft, knit material to her and neither could stop the shiver as their fingers brushed when she took the trousers from him. He moved to the front door of the flat and drew a light jacket from a small closet as she donned the bottoms, and returned to hand it to Hermione as well.

"Here," he offered politely. "Until we get to your house and get you some proper clothes, this will have to do."

He helped her into the jacket, the knuckles of his hands sliding up her arms as he did so. He rested his hands briefly on her shoulders afterward, giving them a squeeze before he released her and moved to the kitchen doorway. Once there, he peered into the kitchen and grinned at the sight his brother presented.

Fred was furiously whipping eggs together in a bowl, his lower body pressed conspicuously against the counter. He shifted ever so slightly as he applied the tiniest bit of needed pressure. As George had thought, the wave of arousal that he and Hermione had exuded had doubly affected him. The twins knew of the backlash that occurred when one or the other had an intense emotional response to something and being as it came from a dual source Fred was definitely suffering the effects. His face was nearly as red as his hair. Oh, yes, the response Hermione had had to his admiring gaze was quite promising, indeed.

"Oi, Gred, I'm taking Hermione over to grab something suitable to wear to the zoo. You'll have breakfast ready by then, right?" George had to bit his lip in order to stifle a laugh at the look Fred shot him over his shoulder.

"I'll do my best!" Fred attempted to sound cheerful for Hermione's sake, but mentally he sent a plea to his brother. _'Do you mind taking the long way round, mate?'_

 _'Need some time to yourself, Freddie?'_ George teased, then ducked back into the living room to avoid a flying spatula.

Returning to Hermione's side, George escorted her from the flat with a hand hovering, yet not quite touching, the small of her back. They exited the shop and went around to the side of the building where the twins kept their 1963 Ford Anglia. It had been passed down to them from their father, Arthur, and they treasured the battered, yet trusty, light blue car.

George opened the passenger side door and allowed Hermione to get settled in the seat before shutting the door and rounding to the driver's side. Once behind the steering wheel, he fired up the old car and put it in reverse, carefully backing out onto the busy street of Diagon Alley.

Hermione stole glances at her handsome chauffeur, while worrying her lip gently. She was feeling rather awkward about her awakening attraction towards the twins. Her reaction to George before they had left the flat had been a real eye opener for her. Without warning, George's eyes strayed from watching the road and darted in her direction. Her heart lurched and immediately she averted her own eyes and focused intently on staring straight ahead.

 _'Oh, heavens, I can't even look him in the eyes now. What am I going to do!'_

George's lips curled slightly at her ridiculously shy reaction, and he knew that she could feel the air crackling attraction between them, as much as he did. Her resolve held though, much to his dismay, and she did not look his way again until they were pulling into the driveway in front of her quaint two-bedroom house.

"So, um... D-do you want to come in, or..." she shot bashful half looks his way as she blushed furiously, making her appear even more irresistible.

"Whatever you want, pet." George grinned mischievously.

His reply had the desired effect. Hermione spluttered in undecipherable words as she contemplated hiding her face in her hands. It had to be as red as a tomato by now! Her adorable display caused him to laugh merrily.

The sound of George's amused laughter was like being doused in ice water to Hermione, causing her to stiffen. Had he been teasing her? She was thoroughly mortified as she came to this conclusion. He was aware of her attraction and he was making fun of her because of it!

"I think it best if you stayed in the car. I won't be too long, so I'm sure you can amuse yourself." she replied curtly, piercing George with a cold glare that silenced his laughter instantly. Without another word, she flung open her door and piled out of the car, making sure to slam it shut upon her exit.

As George watched in confusion, Hermione marched up to her front door and unlocked it, making sure to throw a scathing look back at him before slamming that door shut as well.

Realization dawned upon George the second Hermione slammed her front door and immediately he grew mad at himself. How could he have done that? His grip on the steering wheel tightened so much his knuckles turned white and with a cry of frustration he slammed his head back against the car's head rest. He and Fred had been witness to the cruel teasing she had endured during school, had even defended her against it when needed. But the damage had still been dealt and if there was one thing that was sure to leave Hermione Granger angry and hurt and on the defensive, it was to laugh at her expense.

But surely she hadn't thought _**that**_ was his intent? George moaned miserably as he recalled the pained expression that had glimmered across her features before she had shuttered it away beneath indignant fury.

In the back of his mind, George felt a stirring in the bond he and his twin shared. Sure enough, Fred's alarmed voice was soon echoing in his mind.

 _'Georgie? What's wrong? I can sense how upset you are from here. Is Hermione alright?'_ the worry in Fred's voice only caused George's guilt to double.

 _'I messed up Freddie.'_

There was a pause, then: _'What do you mean you messed up? George what did you do?'_ Fred's tone had gone from worried to stern in two seconds flat.

George leaned forward, resting his forehead upon the backs of his hands which still clenched the steering while, though not nearly as tightly. _'I laughed at her.'_ he confessed.

 _'You what?'_ Fred's voice shifted yet again, this time to confusion.

George sighed. _'I was amused by the looks she kept giving me on the way to her house. She was just being so damn obvious with it, you know. It was adorable.'_ A smile ghosted across his lips before vanishing as he spoke his next words. _'Then we got to the driveway and she asked if I wanted to come in and I- well, I called myself flirting when I answered her, and she got so embarrassed and bashful-'_

 _'Forge, just spit it out!'_ Fred, now fed up with George's rambling explanation, snapped impatiently.

 _'I_ _ **told**_ _you. I laughed at her. And she took it completely the wrong way.'_

 _'Shit.'_

 _'I know.'_ George replied glumly.

 _'George. Where are you right now?'_ Fred's voice held an edge to it to caught his twin's attention.

 _'I'm in the car, why?'_

A groan of irritation issued through the link and George braced himself for a good dressing down. Fred didn't disappoint.

 _'You_ _ **stupid**_ _git! What are you just sitting there for? Get off your arse and go apologize this instant! I swear this is proof that I am definitely the smarter twin as well as the more handsome. I got all the good traits and all you got was a great big case of stupiditis!'_

George cringed.

 _'Now go! Get in there and apologize!'_

George was out of the car and standing at the front door so fast it was as if he had teleported. Not even thinking, he reached out and grabbed the doorknob, giving it a turn. The door swung open easily. With nothing more filling his mind than the thought of offering his sincerest apologies, George marched through the door. Not seeing Hermione anywhere on the first floor, he took to the stairs leading up to the second floor which housed the bedrooms and bathroom. He and Fred had been here on more than one occasion and knew by heart the layout just as well as their own flat's. He went straight to the door that led to Hermione's bedroom, instantly throwing open the door, ready to grovel at her feet if that's what it took to earn her forgiveness.

However, the lovely vision that awaited him on the other side of the door stopped him in his tracks.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I give you guys three guesses on what George finds on the other side of the door. ^_^


	5. Chapter 5

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 5 -**

Hermione fought off tears as she leaped from the car and rushed into the house. But once she had slammed the door she'd been unable to keep them at bay any longer. With tears streaming down her face, she ran up the stairs and down the hall to the bathroom. Wiping furiously at her eyes, she turned the shower on full blast and began to undress. The sound of George laughing at her echoed in her ears as she stepped under the steady stream of hot water.

With steaming liquid beating down on her in a steady, rhythmic spray, she brought her emotions under control. Taking a shuddering breath, Hermione finally was able to reach for the loofah and her favorite peach scented body wash and began to lather her body.

Moving on to her hair, she applied shampoo to her mass of curls, massaging her scalp as she did so. Finally, she stepped back under the shower head, allowing the water to wash away all of the suds from her body and hair.

Stepping from the shower, she grabbed a towel from its holder near the tub and wrapping the soft, fluffy piece of cotton around her wet body. Using a second, smaller towel for her hair, she patted dry the tresses as she stepped from the bathroom and made her way into her bedroom to dress.

Standing before her full length mirror, Hermione dropped first her head towel, then the one wrapped around her body. Critically, she gazed at her bare reflection. Her legs, she noted, were nowhere near long enough. She stood only five and a half foot, and next to the twins' own six foot two frame, she was a little on the short side. Her legs led up to a slight flare of hips and a slightly rounded abdomen. Her breasts, while not on the large side, were not exactly small either.

' _One could say a little over a handful, given the right set of hands...'_

With a huff, she pushed the thought away. George, nor Fred for that matter, would want to hold or touch any part of her body in that way. His laughter from earlier had proven that.

Giving a resigned sigh, she reached for the first article of her underthings to don: a white lacy bra, which dangled on a hook beside the full length mirror. Hermione gave a startled yelp as the door to her bedroom burst open revealing a rather dumb-founded George Weasley staring at her.

She was shocked. So shocked in fact that her normally sharp mind hadn't the chance to kick in. So, instead of immediately attempting to cover herself, she simply stood there, frozen as her eyes locked with the reflection of the equally shocked man's in the mirror.

To say that George got a peek at the goodies would be an understatement, no matter how much he protested to the fact afterward, claiming he didn't see anything. In reality, it took a full minute before he was able to stop himself from allowing his eyes to hungrily rake the expanse of soft flesh and supple curves on full display in the mirror, and another thirty seconds to get his vocal chords to work so that he might even begin to issue a single word of apology.

That minute and a half was all it took for Hermione's brain to kick start into gear. Stooping to grab the towel from the floor, the irate woman clutched it tightly to herself as she whirled around and began advancing toward the redhead.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? _**Get out**_!" she screamed as she reached out, her open palm making contact with his hard chest with every intention of shoving him out of the room.

He didn't budge, as he also had every intention on apologizing. He brought one hand up to capture hers and kept it anchored over his heart as he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Hermione, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. Ever since we first met, you've been special to us. To me." he broke off as he sensed her anger beginning to drain away. His other hand had come up to caress her cheek, and at her softening expression, he continued. "I have never, nor would I ever, make fun of you. Don't you know that?"

She wanted to believe him. _**Did**_ believe him, if truth be known. Out of everyone she knew, she was certain that neither he, nor his twin would do something as awful as enjoy a good laugh at her expense. It was what had endeared them to her in their school days and what drew her to them after they'd graduated. They would take turns picking her up from school and just hang out. They were truly her best friends.

Who she just happened to find herself extremely attracted to.

She looked deeply into George's eyes, finding them sincere. Then his eyes flickered downward and her breathing stopped, reality kicking in and the situation they were in took hold. She was standing in front of George Weasley. Naked.

Her anger was completely gone now replaced with an entirely different intense emotion. Sheer, mortifying embarrassment.

"Apology accepted. Now get out!" she shouted as she once again attempted to push him out the door.

George didn't resist this time, allowing her to shove him from the room and slam the door, cutting off his view of her naked beauty.

Hermione leaned back against the closed door, her cheeks aflame at the knowledge that such a thin panel of wood was all that stood between George and herself. _'Oh, God, he saw... he saw_ _ **everything**_ _!'_ her mind flew into a panic as a thought plagued her. What if he hadn't liked what he saw? And then, her whole body throbbed pleasantly as another thought took hold. But... what if he _**had**_?

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Hermione smiled as she remembered the expression on George's face she had caught a glimpse of in the reflection of the mirror. Oh, yeah, he _**definitely**_ had.

 _Ever since we first met, you've been special to us. To me._

Hearing those words had honestly meant the world to Hermione, because it was true for her as well. Both of them, George and Fred, were extremely special to her. They always had been. Through thick and thin, they had always been by her side, so maybe it was time she started showing how much she appreciated them.

Releasing the breath slowly, Hermione pushed herself away from the door and began dressing with purpose.

After being pushed from her bedroom, George leaned against the opposite side of Hermione's door similar to the way she had. He bit back a curse as he shifted in an attempt to make himself more comfortable. Much like his twin earlier, George had a not-so-little problem, and with the image of a naked Hermione playing on repeat in his brain, it only served to heighten his desire for her, resulting in an overflow through the link.

As George was dealing with the aftermath of his glimpse of perfection, across town at 93 Diagon Alley, Fred almost dropped the contents of the sizzling pan on himself, as he felt the wave of unadulterated passionate yearning coming from his twin. He hissed as he burned his left index finger, and a string of colorful expletives escaped from his lips.

"Fuck." he groaned at the pain as he carefully balanced the pan over the stove, and marched towards the kitchen sink to hold his hand under cold water.

 _'Georgie? I don't sense that your upset anymore. But you do seem to be a bit... worked up. Anything happening I should know about?'_ he snarked at him through their bond.

 _'Well, I apologized...'_ came George's short response.

Fred became suspicious, as he sensed that his twin was withholding something vital from him. There was no way the simple act of Hermione accepting his twin's apology would result in such an elicit response.

 _'Why do I get the feeling that's not_ _ **all**_ _you did?'_ Fred asked.

 _'Welllll...'_ George began, and he could hear the teasing tone in his brother's voice. _'I_ _ **might**_ _have happened upon our lovely Kit sans clothes...'_

Fred's jaw dropped at his words _. 'Bloody fucking hell!'_

Hermione's face was flushed scarlet, as she donned her favorite pair of jeans, over her white lace underwear. Her thoughts flickered back to the intensely heated gaze George gave her, as his eyes trailed the exposed flesh of her body. Her skin trickled with heat and electricity, when she noticed the desire gleaming in his bright blue eyes.

She swallowed at the memory, and pulled on a slightly over-sized knitted sweater, and ran her fingertips through her wet curls. She decided to forgo drying her hair, and simply applied a light layer of natural make-up, and grabbed her favorite pair of light yellow converse shoes.

The brunette girl tied her shoelaces, silently dreading the moment where she needed to face her handsome friend again, but she grabbed her bag, squared her shoulders, and opened the door.

George looked up at her, his breath hitching in his throat. Hermione was beyond beautiful, and it didn't matter to him whether she was wearing clothes, or not, she was breathtakingly beautiful, both inside-, and out, which he voiced to her with a lopsided smile.

"You are so beautiful, love." he whispered sincerely.

Hermione's heart skipped a beat at his genuine compliment, and she was struggling to catch a breath. "T-thank you, George." she said shyly, and then looked down at her feet. "I want to apologize for over-reacting earlier. I realize now you were simply amused, and not maliciously laughing at me, like our peers in school used to." she paused, her fingertips playing with the sleeves of her knitted jumper. "It was unfair of me to assume such. Can you forgive me?"

George was stunned by her words. He hadn't expected her to feel guilty over her reaction, because he thought it was natural, given her circumstances. Stepping closer, he took her into his arms, his chin dipping into her lush hair atop her head. "No, Kit. You have absolutely _**nothing**_ to apologize for." he rasped. "I was wrong to laugh at you, but you were so adorably flustered, I just couldn't help myself." he admitted. "And, um... speaking of apologies... I didn't mean to barge in on you earlier, I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

Hermione's face lit up with a bashful smile, as she glanced up at George. "Well, it was unexpected," she admitted, then gathering a bit of courage, she continued cheekily. "But I couldn't help but notice you enjoyed the view."

A lazy smirk tugged at his lips. "Now, Miss Granger, who wouldn't enjoy looking at such divine beauty..." he flirted playfully.

The brunette girl laughed. "Well, Mr. Weasley, you sure know how to exaggerate."

"Au contrare, my sweet." he whispered softly, his fingertips tenderly caressing her cheek. "You are beautiful. Never doubt that!" he murmured as he leaned in to brush his lips against her forehead.

Hermione's eyes drifted closed at the feel of George's soft lips on her skin. For a second, the thought of how his lips would feel pressed against other parts of her body invaded her mind, but she hastily pushed them back.

There had always been playful banter between the three of them, ever since their first meeting, which grew to include mild flirting from the boys, the older they got. Even when the twins had been dating in school, they would always throw lighthearted innuendos her way, much to the dismay of whoever their current girlfriend was.

She hadn't really taken them seriously until now. The hugs and kisses they frequently bestowed upon her hadn't effected her this strongly until now, but she couldn't allow herself to act rashly.

The revelation that, at least in George's case, their relationship was evolving into something more than friendly, would take some getting used to, but still, there was also the fact that she harbored feelings for Fred as well. What if she became involved with George, and he found out about the attraction to his twin? He would surely be hurt, resulting in things like jealousy, which would more than likely cause problems between them.

The last thing she wanted was to ruin their friendship and come between the brothers, they meant too much to her.

Unaware of Hermione's conflicting feelings and thoughts, George was fighting the urge to kiss her properly, like he so desperately wanted to. But he couldn't kiss her. Not yet. Not until Fred had been allowed to reveal his own intentions toward their beautiful Kit.

"So, I take it we're ready to go pick up my less handsome twin, and begin our adventure?" he asked, changing the subject.

Hermione smiled a teasing smile. "I wouldn't be so sure that Fred is the less handsome twin..."

George feigned offense, grasping at his chest dramatically. "The damsel wounds me!" he proclaimed before breaking out into a wicked grin. "Are you sure it's Freddie whose closeness gets your pulse racing, Princess?" he wriggled his eyebrows teasingly.

Hermione fought back the blush that threatened to rise, determined to get the better of George this time. Taking on a contemplative stance, she rested the elbow of one arm on the other and brought one hand up to her chin in mock thought. "Hmm... I might have to test that theory." she stated, inwardly smiling at the shocked look that spread across George's face and shrugged. "A little research never hurt anyone, you know."

George's eyes widened at her words, and he grinned a lopsided grin. "Well, well, we might get you comfortable yet with flirting, Miss Granger."

The blush blossomed on her cheeks this time, but Hermione felt a sense of pride fill her at his words. It was a strange thing to feel proud of, but she couldn't help it.

"Now, let's go, before Fred eats everything. You know how much of a bacon hog he is!" he chuckled softly, and slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her towards the stairs.

They arrived at the flat a few moments later, George opening the door to allow her in ahead of him as both laughed at a joke he'd just told. Their laughter stopped abruptly at the sight of a rather peeved Fred Weasley standing in the kitchen doorway, glaring at them.

"What the devil took you two so long? Do you know what time it is?" Fred inquired. "I slaved away at this breakfast all morning, but do you care? Noooo. Now it's probably gone cold!"

George and Hermione looked at one another and broke into a fit of laughter again. They wondered if they should mention to Fred the fact that he sounded exactly like his mum at that moment. Then they caught sight of the spatula he was waving about during his dramatic speel and thought better of it.

George wiped a tear of laughter from his eye with his right hand as he waved his left hand toward his brother in a complacent gesture. "Sorry, Gred. Completely lost track of time."

 _i'I'm sure you did.'/i_ Fred's mental voice sounded somewhat poutier than his audible one, much to George's amusement. _'Lucky bastard.'_

Hermione ended Fred's tyraid when she crossed the room in order to rise up on tip toe and bestow a lingering kiss, not quite on the mouth, but not quite the cheek either.

When Hermione pulled back, she noticed that Fred's eyes had darkened somewhat and they were now focused solely on her. "I'm so sorry we're late, Fred. It was totally my fault. Please forgive me?"

"You know there is nothing you could possibly do that I wouldn't forgive you for, Kit." Fred replied, slipping the hand not holding the spatula around Hermione's waist and pulling her to him.

Hermione blushed slightly at his heated gaze, his words tugging at her heart and causing her body to react similarly to the way it had to George earlier. How had she not realized before now how utterly perfect her twins were? She ended up burying her face against his chest to prevent herself from giving into the sudden urge to snog him good and proper.

Fred held her to him as his eyes locked on his twin. i _'This thing between us is progressing rather quickly, Forge. What do we do?'/i_

 _i'As much as I hate to say it, Gred, we're going to have to stall whatever is happening between us. We can't allow it to go too far, at least until we get get some answers. We haven't even begun researching yet.'/i_ George mentally projected his reply.

Their attraction to Hermione was growing by leaps and bounds every day becoming less and less containable. Now that it was becoming evident that it was affecting her as well, making it a two way - or rather - a three way, street, the twins knew they had to slow it down.

In agreement, Fred pulled Hermione away from him gently, fixing her with a trademark grin and a wink. "Georgie, what say we consume this breakfast feast I've prepared so we can enjoy the rest of the day with our lovely Kit?"

George appeared at Hermione's side instantly, grinning playfully. "I second that idea, Freddie. After you, love." he gestured to the doorway leading into the kitchen with flourish.

Hermione loved this. The easy-going banter between them always made her feel at home. As if she were right where she belonged. All of the tension, both emotional and sexual, that had been building since the night before was wearing on her and she was grateful for a return to the norm.

"Thank you, kind sirs." she replied politely, her own playful grin firmly in place as she entered the kitchen before them.

Breakfast passed quickly and happily as casual conversations returned and the attractions each felt for the other took a backseat to pure and simple friendship. Soon, Fred was excusing himself from the table in order to go get ready and George and Hermione joined forces to tackle the mess Fred had made of the kitchen.

It was nearing noon by the time the trio left the flat on the way to the promised zoo excursion.

From the shadows of a nearby alley, Gregory Goyle's eyes darkened as he spotted the curly-haired woman exiting the joke shop on the redheaded devil twins' arms. His orders were to locate her, then follow and learn her schedule, so they could abduct her more effectively. Lucius Malfoy's word was law in the Underground, and he was a very loyal lackey. Part one of his mission accomplished, the vindictive man gestured to his partner to follow as he moved on the the second part. He did not mind this assignment in the slightest, as he carried a grudge against those Weasley boys for the simple fact that they had turned more female heads than he had in school.

Gregory's lips twitched with a malicious sneer, as he thought about how much he would enjoy taking what seemed to be theirs. They would not know what hit them...

Vincent Crabbe raised a dark eyebrow at his colleague. "A penny for your thoughts?" he teased as he moved to follow the unsuspecting trio as well. i _'As if that brute's thoughts would be worth more...'/i_ Vince thought darkly.

Gregory sneered at Crabbe. "I was just thinking how much fun I'll have with the girl Lucius wants abducted."

The other man's stomach dropped at the thought of what this cruel man wanted to do with her, no doubt anything less than Malfoy's snobbish prick of a son intended. "You know that Mr. Malfoy wants her unharmed for now. It would be unseemly, if she was injured, before her guilt has been proven with the situation." he reminded him.

Goyle grimaced at the thought of what punishment could befall him if he disappointed Lucius Malfoy. No, as much as he wanted to play with the pretty brunette and cause the red headed menaces pain, he would wait. Surely his employer would see fit to reward him for a job well done?

Maybe, just maybe, once the elder Malfoy was done with Miss Granger, he would allow Gregory to have the left overs.

TBC...


	6. Chapter 6

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 6 -**

* * *

 _ **The Zoo - Friday Afternoon**_

* * *

Hermione was excited. Her love of creatures great and small was a well-known fact to the twins, something George had banked on when suggesting the idea earlier that morning. Sure enough, a half hour in and Hermione had completely forgotten all about the trauma of the night before involving Malfoy and her mysterious Protector.

They relished in their shared company as they moved from one habitat to the next, admiring the different species of animal and partaking in a frozen treat when it grew hotter in the day. Hermione took extra enjoyment from reading aloud to the twins from the many information plaques positioned strategically along the marked path.

They entered the Arctic section, an enclosed portion of the zoo that housed polar bears, seals and the like, when they came upon a rather amusing sight. Two large black and white penguins were putting on quite a show for a third, smaller penguin. It looked, for all the world, like the two males were attempting to woo the tiny female.

Hermione's deep chocolate colored eyes glowed with the light of happiness and longing as she gazed at the penguins' antics. "Look, Freddie!" she squealed like a little girl, tugging on his hand. "Those three penguins are totally in love!"

George's pale red eyebrows disappeared into his hairline as he chuckled at her. "Something you want to share with the class?" he asked teasingly.

Fred smirked with mischief gleaming in his bright blue eyes. "Is a love triangle something that appeals to you, love?" he whispered into her ear, his hot breath tickling her earlobe.

Hermione shivered, her breath leaving her in a short puff of air. "N-no." she stuttered. "Love triangles are too complicated."

George leaned in and playfully kissed her jaw, whispering softly. "That doesn't mean they aren't fun..." his voice trailed off.

Hermione swallowed, as her heart began beating wildly in her throat. That pesky sexual tension was seeping in again, making her slightly uneasy. She shook herself out of her daze and swatted both boys on the arm. "You're incorrigible!" she huffed, flustered still.

They reached the end of the winding trail a few hours later, nearing closing time for the zoo.

"Well, this day has been fun," Hermione began, only to be cut off by Fred.

"Who said the day is over, pet? We're not done with you yet." he responded, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, grinning all the while.

The innuendo was duly noted by George and whole-heartedly approved. Hermione was having difficulty swallowing as she replied. "What did you two have in mind?" she cringed inwardly as she realized how leading that question was. Fred could have a field day with it.

True to form, Fred smirked and was about to reply with something appropriately inappropriate, when his spidy senses went off in alarm. He glanced at George, and he nodded that he also sensed the potential danger. "How about we go back to our flat for a drink?" he smiled at Hermione, who was happily oblivious to their by-play.

Hermione agreed, though she insisted they stop by her place first in order for her to pack a change of clothes and some pajamas, just in case. The twins agreed and flanked Hermione as they exited the zoo and headed toward the parking lot. The entire time, the twins kept scanning the area for anything amiss. They drove to Hermione's house in relative silence, the tension that had held the twins' bodies at the feeling of being watched finally leaving them.

"I'm not crazy, right, Georgie? You felt it earlier, too?" Fred looked to George once Hermione had gotten out of the car and entered her house.

George shook his head somberly. "No, Freddie, I felt it, too. Like someone was watching us." the twins shared a knowing look. They would definitely have to keep a more watchful eye on their lovely bookworm from now on out.

It wasn't long before Hermione was exiting her house, overnight bag in hand. She locked the front door and then jogged back towards the little car where two red heads were enjoying the view her slightly jiggling assets afforded them.

A half a block away, Gregory Goyle leered at the pretty brunette woman's curvaceous body, from the driver's side of an SUV. He licked his lips as she hurried towards the twin devils' car, and basically rejoiced in the lusty glances they threw at her. He smirked to himself, thinking about how satisfying it would be when he took her from them. Perhaps she would be a good little slut in need of some desperate attention, and oh, the dark man promised himself that he would be generous enough to give her what she deserved, hard and plentiful.

Vincent looked back and forth his colleague and their mark worriedly, he was not liking how much Goyle was drooling over the young lass. He elbowed him sharply. "Get a hold of yourself, and stop drooling like an idiot. We are here to follow orders, not look like a pair of peeping toms." He growled.

The other man sneered. "Shut up! We might have orders to follow, but the boss did not forbid us from enjoying ourselves, if we can... Chill out, dude, I am only looking..." he added soothingly, as Crabbe was about to murder him with a glare. But in his thoughts, he added _'...for now.'_ to himself, because he knew he wanted to do a lot more than ogling the bitch.

Hermione quickly slipped into the passenger side seat. George had taken up the driver's position while Fred graciously sat on the cramped back seat. She smiled at both men who returned it with smirks that carefully veiled their more heated thoughts.

"Ready, love?" George asked, already putting the Anglia into reverse. At her nod of assent, he slipped the transmission into reverse and backed out of the drive. Soon they were heading up Diagon Alley towards their flat, unaware of the dark SUV stealthily keeping pace a couple car lengths behind them.

Vincent ignored Gregory's quietly muttered colorful expletives, while keeping his eyes on the road, and the bright blue Ford Anglia, following the trio from a respectable distance. He had a suspicion that the twin men somehow felt someone was watching them earlier, because they left the zoo quite hurriedly.

When it looked like their car was about to park, he stepped down on the gas pedal, and raced past their vehicle, so they would not get noticed, and he could hide their car from their eyes.

George quickly got out of the car and rushed around to the passenger's side. He opened Hermione's door in a gentlemanly gesture, but quickly closed the door when Fred moved to exit as well.

"Whoops, sorry, Freddy. Forgot you were in there." he laughed at the look his twin shot him as he let himself out of the vehicle.

"Git," Fred muttered but George could feel the lightheartedness behind the jab.

Hermione laughed airily at the way the boys were teasing each other playfully, and stole George's keys, running up ahead of them to play a prank on the twins. As soon as she got inside their flat, she leaned against the door and locked it, a mischievous smirk tugging at her lips.

"Oh, no, she didn't," Fred laughed as he twisted the doorknob futily, but the door refused to open. "She did! The little minx just locked us out of our own flat!" he and George shared a grin as George casually reached up and grabbed the spare key kept perched above the door on a small ledge of molding.

Hermione's grin widened as she silently congratulated herself on tricking the boys. It was very seldom she got the upper hand on them when it came to pranks. It was juvenile of course, nothing as ingenious as what the twins were able to achieve. Still, she giggles as she pressed her ear to the door and heard Fred's exclamation. Her eyes widened as she heard the sound of a second key being inserted and turning to release the lock. She scrambled to reinsert her key in order to block them, but it was too late. The door burst open, and with a delighted squeal she was off like a blur, running further into the flat as the devilish pranksters gave chase.

She didn't get far as the twins split up, each rounding the couch she had ran behind in hopes of putting a barricade between them. With predatory gleams in both their eyes, they closed in on her from both sides. Fred pulled the petite brunette towards his chest, while George pressed his lanky frame against her other side.

"You are trapped, little Miss." George whispered into her ear, resisting to lick at her delicious earlobe.

"There is no escaping us now, love." Fred smirked, as his fingers traced the lines of her hips.

There was a moment where the sexual tension hung tangibly in the air as George ran his fingertips slowly up Hermione's sides, but then he thoroughly dispersed it with a wriggling of his fingers against her ribs. Soon Hermione was struggling to free herself as she laughed uncontrollably. Darn George for knowing about her most ticklish spots.

Hermione giggled. "S-stop, G-georgie." she bit out between peals of laughter.

Fred had a wicked grin plastered across his face. "Do you surrender?" he asked as he joined in the assault, running his fingers up and digging them gently into her armpits.

"I-I s-surrender! Oh, please!" Hermione choked out between fits of laughter. "Please s-stop!"

George looked at Fred and winked at him schemingly. "Do we want to stop, brother mine?" he asked thoughtfully.

Fred grinned at the act his twin was putting up, and played along. "I don't know, Forge, I rather like this Hermione tickle sandwich..."

In an effort to escape their delightful torture, Hermione allowed her body to go limp between them, forcing them to stop what they were doing in order to wrap their arms around her to prevent her descent to the floor.

"You are one tricky woman, Kit." George laughed whole-heartedly at the brunette minx's tactics, and he gently led her around the bright magenta couch, pushing her down on one of the soft cushions, and placing a canary yellow pillow into her hands, while Fred made a beeline towards the kitchen to get some fine Ogden's whiskey, which got the very accurate nickname of Firewhiskey, because it burnt one's throat really good.

They situated themselves on the couch with Hemione in her usual place between them. The twins watched in amusement as she became more increasingly tipsy as the night drew on. Thanks to their special-ness Fred and George found it near impossible to become drunk so they were thoroughly able to enjoy all the wonderful things currently spilling from Hermione's mouth.

Hermione rubbed her chest against George's side, as she glanced up at him adoringly. "You have the most gorgeous eyes I have ever seen." she slurred.

Is that so," he replied with a lifted brow. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at her. He remembered her reaction the last time he had done so and did not want to risk a repeat.

He watched as Hermione practically propelled herself away from him and into his twin, giving him a similar compliment.

"Mm!" she mumbled and turned against Fred, her hands dangerously close to his thigh. "And you have the most amazing smile I have ever seen." she purred as she reached up to brush her thumb against his lower lip, making him tremble with desire, as his shocked eyes found her gaze.

Then she clumsily shifted up onto her knees and proceeded to crawl into Fred's lap. "Okay, Georgie, I think our Kit has had quite enough for the night!" Fred said, slightly panicked as while he did desire Hermione, he drew the line at taking advantage of her in her drunken state. He shot George a look as he caught her wandering hands from going any further in their downward trek on his chest.

Fred's words went over Hermione's head, the only thing in her mind was that she had to kiss him, and kiss him she did. She crushed her lips against Fred's, her arms flying around his neck, as she devoured him with a passion so deep, it made Fred's whole soul quiver.

For the briefest of moments Fred gave in and returned Hemione's wanton kiss, before the sound of George subtly clearing his throat brought him back. As gently as he could, he extracted himself, and shifting her into the couch, moved to stand.

Hermione's lips trembled with a pout as the tall redheaded man pulled away, the thoughts of him not wanting her crossed her mind, but then she thought that perhaps her other favorite twin would respond better. She turned towards George, and plopped herself into his lap with her big bright eyes holding his gaze. "Are you going to push me away too?" she asked in a sulky voice, that did something to his insides, and instead of the petite woman kissing him, he kissed her.

"George!" Fred hissed in annoyance. "Don't encourage her! What would mum think?"

Hermione stiffened at Fred's harsh words, and pulled away from George hastily, horrified that he found her so repulsive that he wouldn't even want her to kiss his brother. She got up from the couch, her body swaying from the alcohol and the humiliation, as she made her way towards the bathroom, shutting the door, and sliding down on the floor, only to burst out in tears.

"What the hell, Fred?" George cast his brother an incredulous look. He knew Fred could hear the muffled sobs drifting from the bathroom door as well as he did.

Fred winced at the tone of George's voice. He hadn't wanted to upset Hermione and he felt guilty at hearing her crying in their bathroom, but he knew it was wrong to engage in an intimate way with a woman they both knew was thoroughly sloshed.

"Georgie... she's drunk out of her mind, don't you care about that?" he asked in a loud voice, then added mentally _. 'What if we let her get touchy-feely and she regrets it in the morning, or worse what if we get intimate with her, and something otherworldly happens to her? How in the hell would we explain that to her? Get real, twin o' mine, we agreed to not pursue her, until we know more about ourselves.'_

Fred's words effectively soothed George's hackles and the older twin nodded in agreement. "You're right, Freddie. I guess I just got carried away." which was true, and this fact bothered George. He had always been the more reserved and responsible twin. Still...

"You should go apologize to her." George stated jerking his head in the direction of the bathroom that held a still crying Hermione, though her sobs had waned to mere sniffles now.

Fred nodded, his heart constricting at the thought of facing an upset Hermione, he never thought he would rival their brother when it came to being a colossal git. He walked to the bathroom door and knocked.

"Hermione?" he asked in a tentative voice.

"Go away!" she mumbled weakly, her cheeks wet from her tears. She felt so humiliated she never wanted to come out of the bathroom again.

Fred swallowed the lump in his throat. How had he managed to so royally mess up what had up until now been a nearly been a perfect day with their girl? Gently, he rapped the door with his knuckles again. "Please, Kit, at least let me apologize."

Without warning, the bathroom door flew open and Fred was faced with the slightly puffy-eyed, yet icy glare of Hermione. "I really don't want to hear it right now." she said lowly before casting her eyes toward where George stood. "I'm a bit wore out after today and I feel rather woozy so... Would you mind terribly if I borrowed your bed again George?"

George was watching the scene in front of him in alarm. Fred had really messed up this time, hadn't he? He sighed inwardly as Hermione turned to him.

He nodded. "Of course, love." he said tenderly, and gently ushered her into his bedroom, closing the door. "I'm sorry about Fred, Kit. He's been a bit off lately, he didn't mean to offend you, I'm sure." he said quietly. "And for the record, we both really want you, but you _**are**_ under the influence, and it wouldn't be right to take advantage of you." he confided in her and brushed his lips against hers in a sweet kiss. "But when the time comes... you will be ours." he promised.

Hermione was already succumbing to the alcohol's influence even as George was putting her to bed. The combination of Fred's harsh words and being completely sloshed were taking its till and George's soft words were coming to her in barely comprehensible mumbles of sound. So instead of replying, she allowed herself to drift into the realm of drunken slumber.

George gently covered the snoozing witch's form with his blanket, and leaned down to kiss her forehead. Hopefully she won't remember any of this in the morning, because then they are going to have a really awkward encounter, and as much as an awkward Hermione was cute, this situation would not amuse him in the least.

He walked back to the living-room, gently closing the door behind him and looked at Fred. "I do understand why you wanted us to stop, however, you should have remembered how sensitive Kit is." he sighed as he moved to collapse upon the couch, his face buried in the palms of his hands. He scrubbed at his face furiously before sliding his hands up and clutching his hair in frustration.

"We really need to figure this out. Without full disclosure about our Foxy Forms them any relationship we hope to have with her is sure to fail." Fred joined his twin on the couch. "We start researching in earnest tomorrow, brother-mine."

George nodded in agreement. "It's a deal."


	7. Chapter 7

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 7 -**

 _ **Hogwarts Academy - Hermione's Fifth Year**_

Hermione looked up from the textbook she had been poring over for the last three hours as the door to the Common Room opened allowing three figures to enter. From the comfort of the couch, she watched in amusement as Fred and George, along with Lee Jordan playfully pushed at each other while laughing uproariously and praising each other on a job well done. More than likely, they had just finished testing a new product for the twins' future business venture. She could only imagine which poor soul they had just wreaked havoc on before returning.

She shook her head as she went back to her studies, her thought briefly wandering to how disapproving she would have been of such antics just four years ago. But that was before she had gotten to really know the Weasley Twins. Before their first encounter in the Restricted Section, she had only known them by means of their reputation. Their popularity, achievements in sports and pranking abilities were renowned school-wide. They had seemed, in the beginning, untouchable to someone like herself.

It wasn't until after her rather literal run in with them, however, that she'd soon learned how wrong she was. They really were caring people. She'd witnessed them comfort or come to the aide of their friends when needed, herself included, on many occasions. She had learned that, despite their jokester personas, they were serious when the time called for it.

She had also discovered that they were evil geniuses when it came to coming up with ideas for products and when putting their skills to use in making those ideas reality, they had been sublime. Because of all this, Hermione was certain that if the opportunity arose in the future for them to open their own business that they would be a success.

That was the reason she was not disturbed by the fact that they had obviously just come from a pulling a prank on some poor sod. If there was one thing she could say about her boys, while they loved a good prank, seldom was it done for spite or to cause harm.

She was jolted from her reminiscent thoughts when Fred collapsed onto the couch on her left side, while George did the same on her right. The action caused her to bounce a bit on the cushion of the seat. Lee, who had settled on the floor in front of her near her feet, chuckled at the annoyed look she shot the twins.

"Really, guys, can't you see I'm trying to study here?" she readjusted her book on her lap.

"Come on, Kit, there's a lot more important things we could be doing, you know?" George began.

"Headmaster Dumbledore has given express permission for students wanting to go swimming in the Black Lake for the evening." Lee continued, shooting Hermione puppy eyes for good measure.

"I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing you in a bikini." Fred concluded, nudging her shoulder as he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm sure Angelina would appreciate knowing that, Fred. Besides, I don't have time, there's an important exam next Tuesday. Not to mention I'm already behind in my research for the essay due on the 19th..."

"But it's only the 5th..." Lee pointed out. The twins shared a look with their best guy friend, they knew what was coming.

"Exactly," Hermione replied, ignoring the gestures equivalent to "See!" the twins made to Lee.

Lee's bark of laughter caught Hermione's attention. "What?" she questioned, not sure exactly what he found so amusing by her situation. Lee waved her off. "Nothing, Little Mimi. I'm just still in awe of your dedication to your more studious endeavors."

Hermione shook her head at the nickname Lee insisted on using for her. That was okay, she had a nickname for him as well.

"Well, Jory, if either you, or Mischief and Mayhem over here, would take the time to open a textbook every once in a while you might find out that studying can be quite enjoyable, not to mention beneficial."

The twins' response to this was to each throw an arm around her shoulders and pull her back with them onto the couch while Lee grabbed the book from her hands. Closing the book, Lee placed it on the nearby table which was littered with her various notebooks, pens and things.

"Honestly?" Hermione huffed as looked at the three boys in turn that surrounded her, noted the conspiratorial look they shared, and knew immediately she would not get to finish studying today.

 _ **The Twins' Flat - Saturday Morning**_

Hermione's eyes flew open as she heard a crash coming from the kitchen. She sat up straight in bed, confused about her surroundings, and why her head was throbbing like someone was hitting it with a hammer, or why her throat felt as dry as sandpaper. She struggled to remember where she was and how she had gotten here. Taking a chance, she turned her head to look around, recognizing George's bedroom, though she suffered for it as another jolt of blinding pain pierced her brain. She cradled her head in her hands as she vaguely recalled the events from the prior day.

The trip to the zoo and all the things before she remembered clearly, but then they had returned to the flat and started their drink fest and she could recall nothing else. She should have known better, really, she never was one who could hold her drink. Flinging aside the covers, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, intending to stumble her way to the loo. However, her progress was promptly halted when a wave of dizziness hit her, causing her knees to buckle and sending her tumbling onto the floor in a tangle of legs, as she lost balance.

"Shit," Hermione muttered as she attempted to pull herself up from the crumpled heap she had formed on George's bedroom floor. She clutched at her head as another piercing pain ripped through it followed by a severe case of nausea.

Somehow, the sound of the bedroom door opening and footsteps crossing the room toward her managed to make it through her self-induced agony. Dammit, she was never touching another alcoholic drink again.

George had heard a thud coming from his bedroom, and as the only person currently invading his private space was Hermione, he hastily made his way over to her, his eyes falling upon her shaky form on the floor. He knelt beside her, a soft wash-cloth in his hands, he was expecting this. He pressed the cold fabric to the back of her neck.

"Breathe slowly, love." he instructed as he helped her up, and sat her on his bed. "Your drinking got a wee bit out of hand."

"More than a little..." she attempted to say but the words came out more of a whimper.

The cool sensation of the cloth on the back of her neck began to sooth her head, though she could still feel the nausea building within her stomach. She reached up weakly to clutch at the front of George's shirt in an attempt to pull him nearer in order to lean her head against his chest. George complied and she sighed in relief as she pressed her forehead against the muscled surface, adding a bit more relief to the throbbing pain.

George hugged her to him, gently caressing her back. _'Fred?'_ he asked through their mental link. _'Would you mind bringing some of that special potion I brewed over to my bedroom? Kit's hungover.'_

 _'Be right there.'_ Fred replied and made his way to the cabinet they kept locked due to the contents held within.

During their fifth year, the twins and Lee Jordan had been introduced to whisky at a party thrown by fellow student Cedric Diggory. Though the boys had taken to the taste of the alcohol, Lee's constitution for the drink was nowhere near what the twins possessed. Thus, on the few occasions the trio had imbibed said liquor, Lee had always wound up hung over the next morning.

Seeing their friend suffer this fate time and again had triggered something in their minds - a memory surfacing from the depths of they knew not where. With the knowledge revealed they were able to prepare a potion made from certain plant-life that they had altered using a touch of the weird energy their bodies were beginning to produce. Once finished, they had felt sure that it would help - not harm - their friend. Lee had been astonished the first time he'd tried it. Not even twenty minutes after consuming the thick liquid, his splitting headache and nausea were all but gone. He had sung their praises for days, insisting they patent the brew and had lovingly dubbed it "Pepper-Up Potion".

Now, with said bottle of potion in hand, Fred approached and knocked on the bedroom door. He was a bit nervous about what had happened last night, and whether or not Hermione even remembered any of it. He honestly hoped not.

"Here you go, love, take this and you'll be right as rain." Fred offered hesitantly, kneeling down beside his twin. He sighed in relief when Hermione shifted enough to move her head from George's chest onto his own.

"Thank you." Hermione mumbled against his chest. She raised her head long enough to swallow the contents in the bottle with only a slight grimace before resting her forehead against Fred's chest once more. "Never let me drink again." she moaned.

"Sure, love. Never again." Fred murmured, placing a light kiss to the crown of her head.

Together the brothers helped her to her feet and were just tucking her back in bed when they heard the sound of someone knocking on the door.

"Were we expecting anyone today?" Fred asked.

George shook his head in the negative. "None that I'm aware of."

There was a select few who possessed a key to the door to their shop, narrowing down the possibilities of who could be knocking on the door to the flat significantly. They both turned back to the woman lying on the bed. George leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Take it easy, pet. We'll take care of you." he murmured tenderly before pulling back. They smiled down at her when she nodded slightly before pulling the covers over her head.

With one last final glance the twins turned in sync and went to see which family member was at their front door.

Ron Weasley was impatiently tapping his foot outside the twins' abode, his bright red hair, highlighted with strands of orange, was haphazardly tied into a pony tail with a leather cord and hung over shoulder, brushing his wicked dragon tattoo that ran from the curve of his neck down his back, towards the upper lines of his hips. He and his best friend, Harry Potter, had gotten tattoos together as their graduation gift to each other. It had been a huge hit with their girlfriends, but his mother had gone berserk about it, and she had yelled at them for days.

He let out a puff of air as the door finally opened, with the twins peeking their heads out, blinking at him. "Did we forget that you were coming by today?" Fred wondered out loud.

The youngest Weasley brother scratched at his neck sheepishly. "Nah, Mum sent me over to tell you that she's expecting you lot over for dinner next Friday night." he said, and then leaned in close to whisper. "Between you and me though, I would be on high alert when you arrive, because she's been kinda suspiciously cheerful and adamant that you come." he confided in them.

The twins shared a worried glance, and Georgie groaned. "I really hope she isn't setting us up with her friends' single daughters from her society gatherings. Last month was a spectacular case of awful..."

Ron didn't wait for an invitation to come inside, He simply shouldered his way between the twins and proceeded to head toward the kitchen where he helped himself to a soda from the fridge.

"Why don't you come in and have a drink, Ron. We don't mind." George muttered bitterly under his breath as he and Fred shared an exasperated look before shutting the door and turning around just as their younger brother reemerged from the kitchen, drink in hand.

"Yeah, thanks bro." Ron grinned, the sarcasm going right over his head. "So what are your plans for today? Do you wanna hang out with me and Harry? We're going to visit the old school grounds, perhaps prank Filch..."

Fred and George shot each other looks of annoyance.

"I don't think that we have-"

"Enough time in our busy schedule-"

"To spend time with you Ronnikins-" they chimed in their eerie Twin-Speak.

"Actually we'd appreciate it if you took your drink-" Fred said, as he ushered him towards the door.

"And got out of our hair... we'll even give you some pranks-" George promised, but his plan to nudged their baby brother out of the flat was thwarted by the sound of a feminine voice - followed by its owner - emerging feebly from his bedroom.

"Georgie? Freddie? Who was at the- Oh." Hermione came up short at the sight of one of her less than favorite people standing in the middle of the twins' flat.

Ron shot them an accusing look. "What the bloody hell is this?"

Fred rolled his eyes at his little brother. "Oh, come off it, Ron..."

"...it's not what it looks like." George finished for his twin before turning to face Hermione. She looked a bit like death warmed over but at least she wasn't wincing at every other word spoken. "You feeling any better, Kit?" he asked, ignoring the slight snort of disgust from behind him. He had never understood Ron's distaste for their friendship with Hermione. She'd been in Ron's grade at Hogwarts, but never had he shown a desire to befriend her.

"It looks like you've been screwing around with Granger." he accused them, disgust written all over his face.

Ever since he had first learned that the know-it-all swot had gotten into Hogwarts Academy on a full scholarship, he'd held a grudge against her, seeing as his parents had to struggle to pay for each of their children to attend such a good school. It only deepened when, for some odd-ball reason, the twins had taken her under their wings. That stung him more than he would ever admit to anyone, much less voice out loud.

"How dare you!" Hermione's eyes were blazing fire, the fact that she was miserable from being hungover certainly didn't help any. "You know absolutely _**nothing**_ about me, or my friendship with your brothers. In fact, you never even _**attempted**_ to get to know me. I don't know what the hell your problem is, Ronald Weasley, but stick it up your arse, and leave me the hell alone." she shouted at him, and grabbing her bag, she stormed out of the flat.

She had not planned on leaving yet, but the King of the Gits still had the power to piss her off, the only difference now being she was an adult and she wouldn't let the arsehole step all over her.

"Really, Ron?" Fred glared at his brother as he felt an intense desire to slam his fist into Ron's face emerge.

He had to literally clasp his hands behind his back to keep from reaching out and grabbing the tosser by his shirt collar. Fred had never been one prone to violent urges before and this sudden desire startled him a bit. He looked over to George and realized he felt a similar, though perhaps not quite as strong, urge wafting from his twin as well. George looked to Fred and could sense that it might be a good idea if Fred be the one to go after Hermione. If for nothing more than to get him out of the flat and away from their little brother.

 _'Go on, Freddie, check on Kit, I'll handle Ickle Ronnikins.'_ he mentally suggested.

Fred nodded, then threw another scathing look Ron's way before running out of the flat in pursuit of Hermione.

George waited for Fred to shut the door as he exited before rounding on Ron. "What the hell is your problem, Ron? Ever since you met Hermione you've gone out of your way to be rude to her, sometimes, even hurtful. She's our friend and I will not have you upsetting her in our home!"

Ron scoffed. "She's an annoying little swot, and it's high time you two saw that for yourselves!" he shouted at George, his hands shaking from anger. "But no, once again you stick up for the little rich princess..." he ranted with a sour expression, totally mindless that he had inadvertently let one of his problems with her slip.

 _'Rich princess?'_ George thought to himself. "Ron, do you honestly believe she's some sort of high fa-looting princess? She's not rich, Ronald. Do you even know anything about her?" he asked, staring at his brother in disbelief, and wondering how he had come to be so petty.

The youngest Weasley male rolled his eyes. "Well, obviously she's not a _**real**_ princess. She's neither beautiful, nor delicate enough for that, but face it, George, she's always had the best clothes and stuff, like belonging in one of those elite families. You're merely kidding yourself, if you say she's not rich."

George shook his head in disbelief at Ron's spiteful words. "You really don't know Hermione at all, do you, Ronald." his eyes narrowed as he took an intimidating step toward his baby brother. "Firstly, you're off by a long shot if you think she isn't beautiful. She's more beautiful, both inside and out, than any other woman I've ever met. She's special to me and to Fred as well."

He noticed Ron was making a gagging gesture and took another step forward until he stood face to face with the other redhead. "If you had _**ever**_ taken the time to talk to her - to really get to know her - instead of making rude comments or throwing insults, then perhaps you would know that her parents are dentists," George informed him. "And though their practice does fairly well, they are far from the elite family status you're spouting off about. She works at a book shop now for Heaven's sake. Does that sound like she's rolling in dough to you?"

For once, Ron didn't back down from his older sibling. "She has you and Fred so hooked on her that you're both too blind to see anything else, like your family! I'm your brother and you never paid me half the attention you gave to her! Maybe if you and Fred would've taken the time to notice anything but her and your stupid pranks, you would have realized how much I looked up to you!"

George stared at Ron as comprehension dawned. "You're jealous of her." he backed off a step and ran a hand through his hair as he tried to think of something else to say.

Ron's face was turning a red that rivaled his hair, anger filling him ten-fold, as he realized something about his older brother. "You bloody well didn't know, did you?" he accused. "Did I mean so little to you that you never even noticed the way I idolized you two? You were popular and good at sports and had tons of friends. All I ever had was Harry, and sometimes I think even _**he**_ was taken in by her, because he always offered for her to hang around with us. Thank goodness she never took him up on it though..."

George was torn between feeling guilty for not having paid more attention to his little brother in school and confusion on exactly _**why**_ Ron felt justified in taking his anger out on Hermione if it was his and Fred's neglect that was the root of the problem. "Why the focus on Hermione? You're angry at us, I get that, and I'm sorry that we weren't better big brothers during school. But, Ron, we're adults now. All this petty shit you're doing with the bad-mouthing has got to stop. You should have come to us about this."

He thought he had made a valid point. He'd been prepared for Ron to issue an apology and then sit down and have a heart-to-heart and heal old wounds and all that. What George _**wasn't**_ prepared for was another onslaught of angry words and slurs toward Hermione being shouted into his face as Ron shoved him roughly before turning and leaving the flat.

For a moment, George was stunned, but then anger took hold at his brother's irrational behavior. "Ron, wait! Ron!" he bellowed as he ran after him.

Author's Note: I apologize for my portrayal of Ron in this chapter. It was not meant as bashing, it simply benefited the plot to have them not be friends and have him dislike her. I really do like Ron's character, it just suited the story, so hopefully I didn't make too many Ron fans mad.


	8. Chapter 8

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 8 -**

 _ **The Twins' Shop - Saturday Morning**_

Hermione stormed her way through the shop, completely intent on leaving. To go where, she really didn't know, but as long as it was far, _**far**_ away from Ronald Weasley, she'd be happy. Her hand had just settled on the handle to the entrance door to the shop when something through the window caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Had that just been two suspicious figures ducking into the alleyway beside the shop?

Backing up a few steps, she sat down at one of the counters, praying she was merely being paranoid, after all, her altercation with the Malfoy heir and his trusty gun could have easily caused her to have some sort of traumatic stress disorder and she was merely hallucinating lurking henchmen coming to get her... right?

The sound of her name being called snapped Hermione out of her bout of worry and she turned to see Fred racing down the stairs. He came up short when he saw she hadn't fled from the shop and was instead sitting at the counter.

"Hermione..." he breathed a sigh of relief and approached her slowly, as if he were afraid he would frighten her off. "I'm sorry about that, you know how the King of the Gits can be. We honestly didn't know he'd be by this morning."

Hermione slumped in her seat as she felt the anger that always seemed to course through her body whenever being in the same space as Ronald Weasley seep away. "I know, Fred, it just seems like he can push my buttons like no other. Always has, ever since we were in school."

Finally reaching her side, Fred slid an arm around Hermione's shoulders and tugged her into a comforting hug. "I know. We were there for the majority of it, remember?" he smiled at her gently, and when the petite young woman glanced up at him, he winked at her playfully.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh, this side of the twins always cheered her up. Despite any of the utter rubbish Ronald always seemed to be spewing in her general direction when he was around, Fred and George were always there with a wink, or an occasional hug to make the sting go away. Comforted, she leaned into Fred's warm embrace, her arms slipping around his trim waist as she buried her face in his chest. She inhaled his scent, and sighed.

Silently she thanked every deity known to man that her hangover was quickly fading, which was another factor in her earlier outburst of anger towards the younger Weasley sibling. Of all of the twins' brothers, of which there were many, Ron was her least favorite, mainly due to his rude attitude and outright disregard for her, or her feelings. For whatever reason he felt the way he did towards her, she could never fathom. She hadn't ever bothered to ask in the past, nor was she compelled to do so now. It was just a simple fact that they did not get along, and that would probably never change.

Honestly, it didn't even matter to her anymore. She had her twins, and the three older Weasley brothers, as well as their baby sister, Ginny, were all somewhat cordial towards her, and she was satisfied with that. Gone were her days of loneliness, when she would have even treasured the volatile friendship of someone like Ronald Weasley.

Hermione was enjoying her time sitting wrapped up in Fred's arms for a few precious moments, when the flickering nudge to mention what she thought she had seen reflected in the shop's window passed through her mind, but before she could even raise her head from Freddie's chest to address her concern, the sound of the shop's door being opened snapped their attention to the door.

"You know it's dangerous leaving your door unlocked like that? Any unsavory characters could come waltzing in here." Lee Jordan smiled widely, as he entered the shop.

Fred smirked at his childhood friend. "Too late..." he teased, before releasing Hermione from his protective hold and moved to grab Lee's hand in the special way the three friends had developed in school. Once their routine was done, Fred used his grip on the other man's hand to pull him into a friendly half-hug. "How's it going, Jordan?" he asked once the two friends had released each other.

"Same old, same old." the dark-skinned man shrugged, his dreadlocks bouncing over his shoulders and back, his eyes trailing to Hermione. "It's nice to see you, little Mimi." he grinned cheekily at her, pulling her into a bear-hug. "Have Gred and Forge been behaving themselves?"

The brunette woman was bubbling with laughter at Jordan's little quips. Even though she had never been as close with Lee, as she was with the twins, hanging around with the mischievous duo had resulted in a casual friendship with him and they enjoyed the seldom conversation about completely random things.

"Hey there, Jory." she replied with a warm smile. "The boys have been great." she confided in him, a certain fondness that she only had for the two of them, shone through her voice.

"I'll bet," Lee wiggled his eyebrows at her, then laughed when she rolled her eyes at his insinuation. "Just kidding, Mimi." he raised his hands in mock defense when she took a playful swipe at him.

Fred chuckled, "So, Lee what brings you by? I'm sensing that gracing us with your annoying, yet somewhat addictive, presence wasn't the only reason."

Lee cocked an eyebrow in Fred's direction. "Insightful as always Weasley, I actually stopped by to tell you I'll have Mimi's car ready to go about noon this Tuesday."

"Really? That's great!" Hermione's eyes lit up at the thought of getting her vehicle back. She'd honestly thought it would take longer to fix and had been beginning to worry how she was going to get to work this week. Imposing on the twins was beginning to weigh on her conscience.

"Yep, just waiting on a few more parts we had to order to come in on Monday and we'll have you back on the road in no time, my dear lady." he bowed dramatically, though his theatrics was interrupted by the sound of loud shouting coming from the direction of the stairs leading up to the apartment. A moment later, Ron Weasley came storming down said stairs, followed by a rather pissed off George.

The elder twin pulled up short when he caught sight of Lee with Fred and Hermione, but Ron continued to storm past them on his way to the door. He stopped once he reached it, however, and turned to give a parting shot Hermione's way. "This is all your fault, you daft bint. Why you have to worm your way into my family, I don't know, but stay the hell away from me and go back to screwing these idiots."

Before Hermione or the twins could say anything the irate red head exited the shop, slamming the door behind him as he went. Lee turned towards George with a questioning look on his face, to which George simply replied, "Don't ask. It's just Ron being Ron."

Lee seemed to take that as answer enough as he got an "Ahh, I see." look on his face.

George looked over at Hermione. The young woman had an upset look on her face again due to Ron's parting words. Why, oh why did she let the stupid git upset her like this? His twin had pulled her back to him in a form of comfort, her back against his front, as he rested his chin on her shoulder and was whispering softly in her ear. George moved closer, he reached up so that he could smooth her hair back from her face. Cupping his hand at the base of her head, he urge her to look at him. Hermione's eyes met his and she gave him a smile in an attempt to show him she was alright despite Ronald's hateful words.

"You brother is a bloody git, you know that?" she said, causing both twins to chuckle.

"It's always drama with you three, isn't it?" Lee spoke, drawing George's attention back to him. "First a late night call to pick up a crashed car and now Sir Git the Great himself making an appearance." 

George grinned at his long-time friend, "Well, what do you expect from us Weasleys? Such drama queens, we are." he batted his lashes, earning himself a playful swat to his arm from Hermione.

Lee sighed dramatically at Hermione's antics. "Come on, little Mimi, can't a guy flirt with another guy in peace? You know that Georgie here wants me, those long eyelashes say so without words..." he winked at her.

Lee's teasing brought Hermione's spirits up even more. She bit her lip to keep from laughing, and nodded seriously. "Well, my dear Jory, do you promise to take good care of Georgie here? I cannot let you in good conscience date him, if you break his heart..."

Fred was biting on his knuckles to keep from laughing, while his twin was looking wide-eyed between the two who were making him the arse of their joke. "B-but Hermione," he played along. "Why do I need your permission to date such a strapping young lad?" he wriggled his eyebrows.

Hermione smirked at him. "That's because it's the best friend's - namely moi - prerogative to warn off unsuitable suitors."

Fred cuddled Hermione closer to him. "Oh, come on, love, you know Georgie's a big boy. Let him make his own decisions." He said, then shot his twin a devious smirk as he added. "I'm sure him and Lee would work out brilliantly. That'll just mean I'll have you all to myself."

Hermione chuckled at that, her back firm against Freddie's chest, as he wrapped his hands around her stomach. "Are you sure Lee could handle Georgie, or that you could handle me, for that matter?" she teased.

Lee grinned at Hermione with mischief sparking in his hazel eyes. "Are you sure one twin is enough for you, baby girl?"

"Oi!" the other three laughed at George protest, which eventually lead to George laughing as well.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Lee exclaimed as he dug into his back pocket. "I brought this for you. I found it in the floorboard of the car. I also have your bag in my truck as you seemed to have left it as well. I wasn't sure you would be here - stupid of me, I know - so I didn't bring it in with me. Give me a mo' and I'll run and get it." he said as he handed over a small object which turned out to be Hermione's cell phone.

"Thank you, I totally forgot about it during the-" she broke off, unsure of how to continue. "Er, thanks Lee."

She noticed that Lee didn't seem suspicious and wondered how much he knew about what had happened Thursday night.

"No problem," Lee replied smoothly as he stepped backward a couple steps, "Lemme just run and get that for you." he added, turning on his heel and jogging out of the shop.

Hermione glanced at the twins, who seemed to be busy teasing one another over her head, before looking down at the phone in her hand. Pressing the screen, she found that she had numerous missed calls as well as a few texts. She looked through them, noticing one was from someone she hadn't heard from in a while.

"Luna called," she informed the twins, as she extricated herself from between them.

She moved to the other side of the counter and clicking on the "Return Missed Call" button, placed the cell to her ear. After a couple of rings, a light, airy voice answered.

 _"Mims, it's high time you called, I've been worried sick. I got a spirit visitor, who told me you had a tough couple of days and that you had an accident of sorts. Are you okay?"_

Hermione was touched by the worried tone in Luna's otherworldly voice. "I'm fine, Lu. I'm with the twins at their place now." she assured her eccentric friend.

From the moment she had met the blonde haired girl her second year at Hogwarts, she had known there was something special about her. She claimed she was a medium and that could sense spirits, and though Hermione didn't believe in that sort of nonsense (she was far too logical for that) they had quickly become friends. Much like her twins, their friendship had survived past graduation, although she wasn't as close to Luna as she was to Fred and George.

This was actually the first Hermione had talked to her in a couple weeks. Maybe it was due to guilt because of this that prompted her to say what she said next.

"You wouldn't be up for some company tonight, by any chance?" she could tell her question caught the twins' attention, but she would deal with them in a moment.

 _"Of course you can stay for the night, Hermione."_ came Luna's reply. _"Fred and George have a lot to do tonight, so I'm sure they won't protest too much."_

Hermione paused at hearing Luna's reply, wondering what she meant by they had lots to do. She shook off the urge to ask, and instead directed a question to Lee. "Hey, Jory, would you mind giving me a lift to Luna's place?"

"Wait-"

"-what?"

Fred and George had distinctive matching pouts on their lips as they listened to Hermione's conversation with their friend.

"Sure, Mimi, anything for you sweets." Lee winked at her before shooting the twins a grin as he noticed thier expressions.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the three before turning her back on them to finish up on the phone. "Thanks, Lu, I'll get Lee to drop me off in a bit, see you soon. Bye."

As soon as she disconnected the call and turned around, she was immediately surrounded by a pair of disappointed-looking red heads.

"You're not leaving-" Fred began.

"-because of Ron, are you?" George continued as they slipped into their Twin-Speak, in light of Hermione's talk of leaving.

"Because we can promise-"

"-he won't be back by here-"

"-if we have anything to say about it."

Hermione held up her hands, placing one on each of the twins' chest. "That's not it at all," she said soothingly. "I just feel like I've imposed on you enough the last couple of nights. Besides, I haven't seen or talked to Luna for at least a week. It would be nice to visit and have someone to talk to."

"You can talk to us," Fred reasoned, but caught his brother's look even as he spoke.

 _'Maybe it is a good idea, Gred. We do need to step up on this research.'_ George's voice echoed and Fred sighed internally.

"Girl talk, Fred." Hermione pointed out. "I think it would do me some good."

"Fine," Fred conceded to both Hermione's request as well as his brother's mental urging.

"But you have to promise to come back tomorrow and stay so we can take you to the book store on Monday. Can't have our Kit walking to work, now can we?" George gave her a cheeky grin and a wink.

Hermione gave an exasperated sigh, though inside she was happy with the knowledge that they didn't seemed to be growing tired of her constant presence.

"I promise."

"You ready to go, Mims?" Lee asked from near the door, and Hermione nodded.

"I'll see you both tomorrow." she smiled; then, rising up on tiptoes, she placed a kiss on each brother's cheek, before hugging them both.

Drawing back, she moved towards Lee. Looking over her shoulder one final time at the twins, she gave them a small wave, which they returned, before walking out the door.

 **Author's Note:** I want to thank everyone who takes time out of their busy schedule to review this story of mine. I'm really to make this the best that it can be and hearing your opinions on what you like and don't like help me to do that.

Thanks to my good friend Amarylle for all she does to help me with this story. Without her, I would not be as far ahead or as organized with the storyline as I am!


	9. Chapter 9

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 9 -**

 _ **Hogwarts Academy- Hermione's Third Year**_

Hermione was making her way to the school cafeteria, having just finished up a bout of studying in the library during her free hour. The twins and Lee hadn't been around, having had a class during that time, and much to her delight, she'd actually managed to finish her report that was due in two weeks. Her friends were now more than likely waiting for her at their usual table and so Hermione hastened her step whilst juggling her stack of texts and notebooks.

She was nearing a corner when the sound of something hitting the wall followed by a soft, feminine cry of pain reached her ears.

Shocked, Hermione stopped in her tracks, her arms tightening on her armload of books as the sound of a male voice, low and menacing drifted from around the corner.

"Who said you could be in this hallway, Loony?"

 _'Loony?'_ Hermione recognized the nickname. She had heard it before, being thrown around among other students and knew it referred to a second year student named Luna Lovegood, though she didn't know Luna personally. She knew of her by way of Ginny Weasley, the twins' little sister, and according to her, Luna was their next door neighbor and bit of a free spirit. From what Hermione had gleaned from bits of other students' conversations, the younger girl's behavior could have been qualified as somewhat bizarre and outlandish.

With caution, Hermione flattened herself to the wall and began to edge closer to the commotion. When she was close enough, she peered around the corner. What she beheld had Hermione growing outraged at the sight. A girl with waist length, blonde hair was being held against the wall by Blaise Zabini, a rather obnoxiously vain boy the same year as herself.

Hermione watched as the blonde girl's wide, pale blue eyes traveled up to her tormentor's face. There was no hatred or anger in her eyes, but rather a look of serenity. As if she was not alarmed by the fact she was being roughly pinned unwillingly to the wall.

"Sir Nicholas gave me express permission to be here. I don't see why it should trouble you so much since it's actually his hallway and not yours." Luna smiled sweetly up at Blaise, who's expression flitted from threatening to bewildered a moment.

"Who the bloody hell is- Never mind!" he shook off his confusion, instead settling on anger in a matter of seconds.

Hermione could almost read Blaise's thoughts they were so clearly displayed by the look on his face. 'How dare you speak to me.' it screamed. The expression was followed up by words as the larger, dark skinned boy grabbed Luna by her shoulders, jerking her forward slightly before slamming her back against the wall again.

"Don't speak to me like that again, you little freak." he hissed angrily.

When a pained cry once again reached Hermione's ears, the petite Third Year had heard and seen enough. Without thinking, she barged around the corner, throwing her books down in the process. This startled the taller boy, giving her time to shove him away with all her might as she inserted herself protectively between him and his victim.

"How dare she speak to you? How dare _**you**_ speak to _**her**_ that way, you pompous jerk!" she spat.

With her fists planted firmly on her hips, Hermione shot her most indignant look his way, while Blaise, who had stumbled away at the force of her push, righted himself before turning back toward them with an outraged look of his own.

Recognizing her, his scowl turned into a cruel smirk. "Well, well, well... If it isn't the little Miss Know-It-All, Mangy Grangy," Blaise said bitterly. "Don't you know better than to stick your nose in where it doesn't belong? I mean, you're so far beneath me that you're lucky I'm even acknowledge you right now."

Hermione's momentary bravery wavered as the taller boy took a step towards them. "Just... just leave her alone." her voice wavered a bit with her plea.

"And I suppose you're going to make me?" Blaise scoffed, taking a cursory look around before pinning her with a look that had Hermione's veins run cold with fear. "So where _**are**_ your pet twin Weasels? They're not around to defend you, I noticed. Did they finally get their heads out of their arses and abandon you this year?"

As he spoke, he advanced toward the two girls. Hermione's whole body stiffened as she saw his hands tighten into fists. Though whether he was going to hit them would remain a mystery as at that moment a voice from behind Blaise interrupted him.

"So sorry we're late, love! But you know how we just _**love**_ our leash-free walks." Fred exclaimed as he suddenly popped up behind Blaise, off to his left side. One hand clasped firmly upon the darker boy's left shoulder, while George appeared just as quickly on his other side to grip his right.

"What's this now? Aw, Blaise, surely you're not antagonizing our beloved Kit, now are you? I thought you learned your lesson last time..." he said, giving the boy's shoulder an intimidating squeeze while smiling icily at him.

"Wh-what? I wasn't- I mean, I didn't-" Blaise stammered under the twins' intimidating glares. His balled up fists were now opened, having come up in an 'I surrender' gesture that had the two girls sharing an amused look.

"I'm sure, I'm sure," Fred tutted as he patted Blaise's shoulder before slowly stepping forward, placing himself between the bully and the two girls. He turned to face Blaise, arms crossed as if he were a sentinel guarding a King's treasure.

George remained where he was beside Blaise, slipping an arm around the shorter boy's shoulders in a not-so-gentle sideways hug. "Yes, I'm sure that our dear Hermione and little Luna here will fill us in on just how _**gracious**_ you were being to them."

Fred shifted to look back at the girls behind him, a red eyebrow raising in interest as he noticed the matching vindictive looks upon their faces.

"Oh, yes, Blaise was _**so**_ courteous to inform Luna and myself of our positions on the Ladder of Social Status here at Hogwarts Academy." Hermione said in a saccharine sweet voice, her eyes never leaving Blaise's fearful face as his gaze jerked warily from one twin to the other and then back to the girls.

"Also his brutish hands hurt me, that was generous of him, was it not?" Luna said, her pale blue eyes belying the light tone of her voice.

Fred turned back to look at Blaise and George's grip tightened all that much more on the boy's shoulder.

"I... I-I..."

Blaise gulped almost audibly as he weighed his options. He could try saying that they were lying, but who was he kidding? It was common knowledge that the Weasley Twins were quite friendly with Granger, and now apparently, Lovegood as well. He might as well face it, he was as good as pranked now that he'd been caught, though he'd rather it happen much later, than right this second.

With as much force as he could muster, Blaise wrenched his body away from George's grip. Luckily for him, he managed to wiggle free - or George had just simply let him go - and he took off running up the hall in the opposite direction.

The four students laughed as they watched him flee, the two girls having moved to stand in front of the twins. When they'd finally managed to stem their amused laughs, Hermione turned to her boys. "You guys didn't have to do that."

Fred and George both gasped in mock offence, both bringing a hand up to his chest as if wounded. "But of course we did, love." they began together.

"It's our solemn duty-" Fred chided.

-to protect the fair maiden, after all!" George concluded. Both nodded their heads in finality, as if they brooked no argument to their declaration.

Hermione simply scoffed, smiling as she rolled her eyes at their usual antics, and turned to Luna who was still standing beside her. "I'm sorry that Blaise hurt you. Are you alright? Do you need to go see nurse Pomfrey or anything?"

"I'm quite alright, but thank you for your concern." Luna replied softly, her eyes trailing to where Fred and George were busy retrieving all of Hermione's things which had scattered about the hall where she had unmindfully threw them. " I can sense that they are unlike any of the others here at this school."

Hermione glanced over at the twins thoughtfully. "Yes, they are," she agreed, nodding to herself, her voice holding a faint hint of adoration. "They're really nice once you get to know them."

Turning back to Luna, she offered a friendly smile. "Would you care to join us for lunch? I don't think the twins' would mind."

Luna turned her eyes away from the brothers, as if she had been studying them and Hermione's words had distracted her. The blonde tilted her head to the side as if listening to something for a moment before replying gently. "I think that would be nice."

Hermione smiled back. True, the girl's behavior was a bit odd, but Hermione had learned a while back to never judge a book by its cover. For some reason, she felt the urge to befriend Luna and befriend her she would. Fred and George had finished collecting her things by now and had returned to her side. George carried the lot in one arm and extended his other out to Luna. "May I escort the lovely Lady Luna?"

Fred mirrored his twin, offering his arm to Hermione. "My beautiful Kit, would you do me the honor?"

Both girls giggled, something unheard of coming from Hermione Granger, as they accepted the boys' arms, allowing them to lead them down the hall towards the cafeteria.

 _ **The Lovegood Estate - Saturday**_

Hermione arrived at Luna's house around noon. She thanked Lee for the lift and promised to see him when she picked her car up at his garage on Tuesday. Grabbing her overnight bag, she hopped out of the cab of the truck and walked up the little walkway leading to the front door of Luna's house. The willowy blonde awaited her with a dreamy smile on her face and a faraway look in her eyes.

"Welcome, Hermione. I hope you didn't encounter any bad spirits on your way here."

"Not at all, Luna," Hermione laughed. "I just had Lee scare them all away." the girls shared a hug, and for a second Hermione thought she felt Luna tense. Pulling back, Hermione noticed that Luna was staring rather intently up the street. "Is something wrong, Luna?" she asked, turning to look in the direction her friend was, but saw nothing suspicious.

Luna did not reply to her question, instead she turned and gestured toward her house. "Please, make yourself at home, Mims. It's been a while since we've spoken and I'm sure there is much you have to tell me."

As Hermione followed her friend inside, two figures withdrew into the shadows a few houses over.

Luna led Hermione inside the house quickly. The tingling feeling she always got when bad things were around had started not long after Hermione had shown up and the blonde could tell it was not safe for her friend to be outside at that moment. After locking her front door for good measure, Luna took the overnight bag from her brown haired guest and made her way through the foyer toward the stairs leading upstairs where the bedrooms were.

"Let me show you your room so you can get settled. I've ordered some take out that should be arriving soon. You still like Thai, right?"

"You know it's my favorite." Hermione smiled, laughing as she climbed the stairs behind her friend.

Once they'd reached the second floor landing, Luna went to the second door on the right side of the hall. "This will be your room. The bathroom is right across from you, and my room is the last door on the left." Just as Hermione opened the door to her room, the sound of the doorbell ringing echoed from below. "That will be our food. You go ahead and put your things away and then join me in the dining room." Luna instructed as she handed Hermione her things, then began to head back towards the stairs.

Luna's carefree nature had a way of rubbing off on Hermione when she was around her and so Hermione did not find it strange at all when she mock saluted her friend and with a smirk said, "Aye, aye, Captain."

Luna grinned at Hermione's cheek and gave her a wink before descending the stairs to answer the door.

After paying for the food, Luna thanked the delivery boy before carrying the two plastic bags holding their meal into the dining room. She unpacked the cardboard containers and sorted everything into two plates before retrieving a bottle of wine and two glasses from a cupboard. Once she had everything ready, she sat down at the table to wait for Hermione to come downstairs.

Hermione joined her a few moments later and the two young women proceeded to catch up with one another while they ate. "So, how is everything with you, Luna?" Hermione asked, curious about the blonde job as a tarot card reader. It was a strange occupation, yet it fit her friend well.

"Very well, actually. I got four readings in the other day and another three scheduled for tomorrow." Luna replied, before taking a sip of her wine. "And how about yourself? Are you enjoying working at Flourish and Blotts?"

Hermione nodded, swallowing a bite of fried rice. "I am. It was really nice of Oliver to tell me about his grandfather's shop. He said he remembered how much I loved book and figured it would be something I would enjoy and he was right, I love working there. It's very satisfying helping people find the perfect book for them."

As the day wore on, the girls caught up on various happenings in their life, however Hermione steered away from the subject of the incident of Thursday night. She had rather just forget it had ever happened and thankfully, Luna did not bring it up.

They finished the night off by binge watching the first season of Glee, which resulted in the girls competing against one another in a dance off, which Luna won due much to Hermione's dismay.

"No fair! You're way more flexible than me." the brunette playfully protested as the pair collapsed into the couch together on exhaustion.

"I'm sure you're flexible enough," Luna shot her friend a look full of mischief. "Fred and George don't complain after all."

Luna laughed when Hermione let out a shocked gasp. "Luna! It's not like that!" she said, her cheeks taking on a rosy hue as she swatted her friend.

"Not yet," Luna said sagely, taking her punishment without retaliation. Instead she turned in the couch to face Hermione, who was now staring at her questioningly. "Just give them time. They still have a lot to learn before they can be with you completely."

Hermione was speechless. It was true that Luna sometimes said strange things, but this... Hermione hadn't even mentioned her budding attraction to the twins, so she was puzzled as to how Luna had come to that conclusion, no matter how true it was.

And, they had a lot to learn? What the hell did that mean anyway? Hermione was pretty certain both Fred and George had dated enough girls throughout school to know what they were doing when it came to such things as being intimate. She was no virgin herself, though admittedly her knowledge was limited to only a few sparse encounters. Victor Krum, had been a big deal in the sports world. He was the captain of his team at Durmstrang Institute and his talent on the field had scholarships lined up a mile long for him because of it. When he and his team had come to Hogwarts for an Away game, a few months before her graduation, the Rugby star had actually taken notice of her.

Of course she had been flattered, and he had charmed his way into her bed. They had dated for six months, though it had seemed shorter since the amount of matches he'd been called away for had left them little time to be together. Hermione had finally called it quits when she'd visited the stadium where Victor had been playing a Home game and had found him snogging one of his many groupies that seemed to follow him everywhere. She hadn't had a romantic interest in anyone since then, that is, until this thing with the twins had hit her smack in the face.

"Um.. that's... nice to know, Luna. Thanks." Hermione faltered in her reply, not knowing what else to say. They sat in silence for a moment before a yawn overtook her. "Goodness, I think I'd best get to bed. I'm not sure what time the twins will be by to get me tomorrow. I promised them I'd come back to their flat. Apparently they _**have**_ to be the ones to take me to work on Monday." she rolled her eyes when Luna shot her another look. "Shut up!" she laughed, and threw a pillow at Luna's head. She rose from the couch and headed towards the stairs. Pausing at the foot of the steps, she glanced back over her shoulder. "Goodnight, Lu, thanks for having me over, it was nice. Weird, but nice."

"It was my pleasure, Mims. Goodnight."

 _ **Malfoy Manor - Late Saturday Evening**_

The sound of shuffling footsteps echoed off the cold, stone walls of the old manor as a small, shriveled form made its way down the hallway. Mumbling to himself as he wrung his hands, a consequence of constant worry and fear of disappointing his master, the old man hesitated only a moment before entering the room.

Lucius Malfoy was just finishing up his afternoon tea when the old man appeared at the entrance to his study.

"Master, Misters Crabbe and Goyle have arrived, sir."

Lucius's grey eyes slid over to the form of Dobrogost Dryadalis, the elderly man of almost seventy whom had been a servant within his family's organization even before Lucius himself had been born.

Lucius' grandfather, Duxobum Malfoy, had acquired him when he had gone to collect a debt owed from Amando Dryadalis, Dobrogost's father, when the servant was a young teen himself. He'd been barley fourteen when he was taken as payment for his father's inability to pay the debt to the Malfoy don. He had served the Malfoy's unwillingly, but eventually, he had submitted, his pride broken. When Lucius had turned eleven, Dobrogost had been made to be the young heir's personal servant, although Lucius had been very young and unable to pronounce his name. Due to this, he had simply called him "Dobby" instead.

"It's about bloody time." he growled in irritation to himself, barely acknowledging his long-time servant as he stewed in displeasure for the fact that Crabbe and Goyle were so late reporting in. He had sent those numskulls out two days ago to fetch the Granger wench. _'I swear, those two would probably get lost in a padded cell.'_ He thought bitterly.

Placing his cup down upon the table, Lucius flicked a strand of long white-blonde hair back as he addressed his servant."Show them in." He said aloud, waving off the diminutive old man with ring-incrested hand.

Dobby bowed before hastily withdrawing through the door. A moment later, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle entered the room. Lucius narrowed his grey eyes at the pair, his lip curling back in a sneer of disapproval at their seemingly empty-handedness.

"What in the bloody hell took you two so long? Did you have to stop and ask for directions to the little bint's house or have you two been lost on the Manor grounds for two days?" he snarled at them.

Goyle took it upon himself to step forward and address his boss, knowing that he needed to appease him quickly or else he would lose favor with such a powerful man. "My apologies, Mr. Malfoy, that it took us so long to return. It's been a bit tricky following the Granger wench as she has been cavorting with those Weasley twins. The ones who own the pranking store on Diagon Alley. It's where she has been staying the last couple days."

Lucius arched a delicate eyebrow as he sat up in his chair, one hand bringing his silver dragon embossed cane in front of him and leaned onto it in interest. "Seems logical that she would spend time with such miscreants, same social level and all." he sneered, "But that does not excuse your lack of progress. Surely these two jokesters haven't hindered you so greatly that you were unable to snatch the brat? That you couldn't handle two overgrown man-children? Then again, I forget who it is I'm speaking to."

"Mr. Malfoy, sir," Vincent interjected, as he stepped forward, giving Draco's father a small bow of respect. Lucius nodded his permission for the young Crabbe to speak his piece. "We humbly ask your patience in this task you ask of us. We understand your need for your own special brand of justice on your son's behalf, however, wouldn't it be that much more satisfying if we acquired Miss Granger for you with the least amount of witnesses?"

Lucius was silent for a moment, rolling over Vincent's words in his mind and finding the point that the lackey was making. No witnesses meant less chance of authorities getting involved right away. Which meant more time for him to get to the bottom of what exactly had happened to his son while in the Granger bint's presence. Lucius turned his steel-grey eyes upon his henchman, a hint of surprise at the apparent lack of stupidity in this one.

 _'Yes, he has much promise in him.'_ the don thought with a smirk.

"Very well, Vincent, I shall grant you and Gregory ample time in which to procure Miss Granger. But do not take too much time. I wish to deal with her in a timely manner as soon as you bring her before me."

Vincent bowed deeply, as did Goyle, but not before he directed a nasty glare toward his partner. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy, for your generosity. We will not disappoint you." Vincent promised, straightening to his full height before turning and walking toward the exit, Goyle following behind with a scowl on his face.

 _ **The Twins' Flat**_

Fred and George had been secluded away in their flat ever since Hermione had left to go to Luna's earlier that morning . The twins had been surfing the web for any and all sites they could find that dealt with the supernatural and shape shifting. They ruled out werewolves immediately, seeing as the form they took on were in fact foxes and not wolves. They couldn't find any proof aside from fiction and their own ability that there were such a thing as wereFOXES. Somehow, the term didn't sit well with them, so they ruled it out as well. They had yet to resort to actual books, as they had never had the need to before and old habits die hard, hence their preference to the WWW.

That actually had a nice ring to it...

Five hours in and Fred turned to his brother in frustration. "What was that name you told Hermione during her dream? Akio?" George nodded. "Let's check that. There's bound to be something if it came to you like that."

Typing 'Akio' into the search browser, George clicked the button to initiate the search page to load. There were, needless to say, a ton of links that came up. They learned that it was indeed a name, a popular Japanese one at that. Groaning in disappointment, George typed in the word 'Fox' to accompany the name and refreshed the browser.

All that managed to do was bring up various links to a flying fox that, though was amusing, was not helpful in the least.

More hours passed as the twins combed site after useless site and coming up empty handed every time. Soon, the clock read 2 a.m. and frustration mixed with exhaustion was setting in.

"Still nothing," Fred growled in annoyance, defeat settling into his eyes as he looked toward his twin.

"Calm down, Gred," George soothed, "It just takes time. If we keep looking-"

"Fuck that! We've been at this for years now!" Fred snarled, snatching up a paperweight from the small computer desk they shared and tossed it across the room. It made a nice sizable hole in the wall near the kitchen.

"Fred!" George cried out, alarmed. He had never seen his brother get this worked up over something.

"Don't 'Fred' me, George." Fred stalked over and slumped into the couch. "We have to find out what we are! I'm so sick of not knowing. What are we and why can we do those things we can do? What else are we capable of?" dropping his head into his hands, he muttered softly, "Georgie, I'm... I'm scared."

In a heartbeat, George was beside his twin, wrapping him up in a consoling hug.

Fred leaned into his brother's embrace. This simple act had always been their go-to when one or the other needed comforting. Laying his head on George's shoulder, Fred let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry, George, I just-"

"It's okay, Freddie," George hushed him, holding him close and wishing silently that Hermione was there with them. Her presence had always had a calming affect on them, and right now would have been an ideal time for that calm. But they were doing this for her, so they could be with her the way they longed to be. To love her the way they longed to love her.

They sat on the couch together in silence for a few moments until Fred's anxieties had finally subsided. "I hate to say it, brother-mine, but we may need to start cracking open the books." George pulled back to shoot Fred an apologetic look for suggesting such a thing.

Fred shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day the Weasley Twins needed books." George snorted in amusement. "Do you reckon the store Hermione works at will have what we need?"

George shrugged his shoulders before rising from the couch and proceeding toward the kitchen to grab them a snack since they hadn't really eaten anything all day. "Guess we'll find out when we take Kit to work on Monday."

"Speaking of Kit," Fred said when George reentered the living room with bag of potato chips and a couple sodas. He handed one of the sodas to Fred as he sat back down by his brother in order to share the bag of salty goodness. "Do you think it's safe for her? To be at Luna's, I mean." he added for clarification when George raised an eyebrow in question.

"What makes you think she's not safe at Luna's? I mean, in all honesty, one doesn't voluntarily go to Luna's for trouble." George replies before popping a chip into his mouth.

Fred chuckled at George's reply. His brother did have a point. "Maybe you're right." he replied as he took another sip of his drink and grabbed a handful of crisps.

Between the both of them they managed to finish off the entire bag before Fred was overcome by a particularly large yawn.

"It's extremely late," George said, giving into a yawn himself, "What say we get a bit of shut eye, Gred. We can do a bit more research before we go fetch our lovely from the Lovegood residence in the morning."

"Brilliant idea, Forge." Fred replied and with that, the twins rose to their feet and made their way to their respective bedrooms to sleep.

 **Author's Note:** I want to thank everyone for your patience and the lovely reviews for this story so far. I know alot of you were excited to see Luna appear and I hope you are not disappointed. I struggled so much with writing for her and I know I probably failed at keeping her in character. I just struggled so much with writing dialogue for her that I thought I would never get through. I'll try to bring her back a bit here and there in future chapters, but for now I just hope you enjoyed the flashback in how she and Hermione's first true meeting went and the beginning of their friendship. ^_^


	10. Chapter 10

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 10 -**

* * *

 _ **The Twins' Flat - Sunday Morning**_

* * *

The twins managed to get in about six hours of sleep before George awoke as if an internal clock had been set. _Time to go get our Kit,_ it rang, and the red head quickly rose from his bed. Shaking off the last vestiges of sleep, he made his way to Fred's bedroom, carefully navigating the random piles of clothes and other varying objects that littered the floor. Reaching the side of the bed, George reached out to nudge his brother's shoulder. His efforts were greeted with an indignant groan, followed by Fred pulling the covers up over his head as he shifted so his back was towards his bothersome twin.

"Go-way!" he muttered from beneath the covers.

"Fre-ddie... Wakey-wakey, eggs and bakey..." George sing-songed as he tugged at the blanket, inching it down until he revealed the glare that Fred was shooting over his shoulder at him.

"Really, George?" Fred growled as George grinned down at him. He finally rolled his eyes and tossed back the covers. George stepped back so his brother could rise from the bed.

"Sorry, brother-mine, but if we plan on getting anymore research done before going to fetch Hermione, then we need to get up now."

Mentally Fred cursed George's ability to be reasonable with so little sleep, which greatly amused his twin, seeing as he could literally read his thoughts. They managed to get in a couple of hours on the internet, though they still hadn't made any progress in their search by the time it came for them to leave. It appeared that they were going to have to resort to books after all.

* * *

The twins arrived at the Lovegood residence shortly after one o'clock. When Luna answered the door, she greeted the boys with her usual dreamy smile.

"Hello, Fred. George." she said airily, nodding to each twin in turn.

Aside from Hermione, Luna was the only girl, outside their little sister who could truly tell them apart. Even their own mum had gotten them mixed up on occasion. The twins had even asked her once how she was able to tell them apart. She had responded by telling them that they each possessed different auras, and that their scents differed as well. They never made the mistake of asking her what she meant by the scents comment.

"Hello, Luna love, how was your ladies evening?" George replied with a smile.

"It went very well, however, I feel that Hermione may have missed you both quite a bit."

"Well, of course she did, who wouldn't miss us." Fred said with a smirk.

"Would you both like to come in? I fear if we leave the door open for too long all the negative energy will invade the house." the blond said stepping to the side to allow them entrance.

Luna lead them to the living room where Hermione sat on the couch she and Luna had sat in the previous night, an open book in her lap. She raised her head up at their entrance and gifted them with a bright smile.

"I wondered when you two were coming. We never discussed it yesterday and I forgot to call this morning." she admitted.

"Yeah, I can see you were thoroughly distracted by..." Fred glanced at the cover of her book. "White Fang."

"It's a classic," Hermione defended. Placing her book aside, she rose from the couch and approached the twins, giving each a hug and a kiss on the cheek apiece.

A loud growl emitted from George's stomach that had all in the room looking at him before busting out laughing.

"Did you two eat yet?" Hermione asked them, knowing that there were times the two would forget to eat breakfast or lunch.

"Er..." George began, looking to his twin to take up the sentence as he normally would.

"You see, Kit, we were in such a rush to get over here to see you, that... well, we might have forgotten to eat." Fred said with a slight embarrassed look.

"Honestly," Hermione chided gently. "What am I going to do with you two."

"I'm sure they both have a few ideas." Luna replied with a cheeky grin.

The twins waggled their eyebrows at her suggestively and Hermione rolled her eyes, swatting at their arms playfully. "Incorrigible, the both of you, I swear! And you," she turned to look pointedly at Luna. "Stop encouraging them."

"I always knew I liked you, Lovegood. However she doesn't have to encourage us too much." Fred informed them.

"No, not much, just enough." Luna quipped back at him.

When Luna and Fred shared a conspiratorial grin, Hermione knew it was a lost cause. She shot a pleading look in George's direction.

"Alright, Freddie, I think we've caught up to our quota of "Kit Teasing" this morning. What say we treat these ladies to an afternoon meal?"

"No such thing as too much 'Kit Teasing'," Fred replied to his brother. "However, I agree that an afternoon meal with two lovely ladies would be a great idea."

* * *

After the meal and a couple hours of friendly chit-chat, the twins and Hermione dropped Luna back off at her house before returning to the twins' place. The rest of the evening was spent watching a random film, or Hermione tucking herself into the armchair to read a book while the twins worked on a project for the shop. The day ended with Hermione whipping up a quick meal around eight o'clock. Once they had all eaten their fill, they took turns at the bathroom to wash up and prepare for bed. Once again, Hermione commandeered George's room, while he bunked with Fred.

"Goodnight, guys." she bid them with a soft smile.

"Goodnight, Kit." she heard them both say before shutting the door.

* * *

 _ **Flourish & Blott's Bookstore – Monday Morning**_

* * *

When Monday morning came, the twins brought her to work, as was planned. However, when Fred insisted on he and George hanging around while she worked, Hermione hadn't known what to say. It was a bit disconcerting for her to be working at her job - a job that she loved dearly, mind you - and be accosted every time she turned around by one or both red headed menaces. She was sure the twins didn't mean to be a bother. She rather enjoyed the fact that they were taking an interest in books. As far as she knew, Fred and George Weasley had never stepped foot inside the school library, aside from that one time they had comforted her in the Restricted Section and their friendly bond had been forged. They had not had much interest in actually studying, despite the fact that their test scores had been fine, though not due to cracking open a textbook. She could only guess how they had managed to graduate.

But that was how the day went. One twin, or the other, at any random point in time throughout her shift, would pop up asking where a book on this or that would be located. Mostly, they inquired about myths and legends, or the supernatural. It was rather odd, to be honest. It also got Hermione to thinking. Why were they interested in this sort of thing? It didn't pertain to anything they sold in their shop, so why the sudden interest? Was it strictly for entertainment purposes or something else entirely?

Regardless, Hermione pointed them in the direction she thought would best serve their needs and went back to helping other customers.

Fred craned his neck in order to peer over the top of the bookshelf, assuring that Hermione was distracted by another customer before turning back to where George was sifting through a row of books.

"Find anything useful?" he asked his twin, who shook his head in the negative.

"Nah, nothing. Just a bunch of children's books." George's voice held a disappointed tone. "This is an old store; you would think they would have _**some**_ interesting books about this subject. About _**anything**_ really."

Before Fred could reply, the sound of a small child begging drifted over to them from two isle over.

"But Muuuum, I really wanna read this one!" the voice of a small boy pleaded, drawing closer as he and his mother walked in the twins' direction.

"And I said, no, Tommy, dear. The cover looks too scary. It would most likely give you nightmares. Now put it away, we really need to go so I can finish my shopping." the mother replied.

By now the woman and her son, who appeared no older than eight or nine had made it to the isle in which Fred and George stood. The little boy stomped his foot in protest.

"Pleeaaaase!" he tried one last time, but his mother's mind was made up.

"I said, no!" Plucking the book from her son's hands, she shoved it towards one of the twins, obviously mistaking them for an employee. "Would you please mind putting this back where it goes? Thank you. Now come along, Tommy and I promise to buy you some sweets at Honeydukes if you're good."

The bribe seemed to work as Tommy quit whining about the book Fred still held in his hands and followed his mum obediently out of the store.

"Well, Freddie looks like you've found your calling. It appears you're destined to work in books, not pranks." George said in jest as he clapped his brother on the shoulder.

Fred wasn't listening, however. The other jokester was too distracted by the cover of the book that had been thrust into his hands. When George noticed his brother's lack of response to his jibe, he looked over his brother's shoulder and gasped in shock.

It was thicker than most, but it was a children's book, for sure. However, the cover depicted a very detailed and extremely realistic image. One that looked eerily similar, in every aspect but color, to their Foxy Forms. No wonder little Tommy's mum hadn't wanted him to get it.

"Georgie..." Fred began in awe.

"I think we've found our book." George ended his twin's thought, the two looking at one another, delighted grins stretching across the width of their faces.

It took them less than a minute to be standing at the front counter, money in hand to purchase the book. The shop owner gave them a funny look. The fact that two grown men, who he just happened to know through acquaintance via Hermione, were not married and had no children, were now buying a book for kids, just seemed odd to the old man.

Shaking his head, he carried through with the transaction anyway, bagging the hard covered item and presenting it to the twins. Once they had it, Fred and George looked for Hermione. They found her near the back of the store, having just finished helping an old woman find a book on knitting patterns.

"Well, I see you found what you were looking for." Hermione smiled as she eyed the parcel George clutched in his hand. She could tell they were quite happy with their purchase, if the way they were practically bouncing on their heels was anything to go by.

"Indeed," Fred informed her.

"Indubitably," George added, nodding for emphasis.

"We were just wanting to let you know that we'll be going back to the flat for a bit," Fred continued, "But don't worry, one of us will be back tonight to usher you home, safe and sound."

Hermione chuckled. "Honestly, guys, you don't have to do that-" she began, but upon seeing their sharp look, altered her reply. "-but if you feel that your presence will be needed, then who am I to turn down an escort by a handsome red head?"

In response, the twins bestowed her with a kiss, Fred on her left cheek, George on her right.

* * *

Twenty minutes later found the twins entering their flat. They sat close together on the couch as George withdrew the book from its plastic wrapping. The hardback book sported a very beautiful image of a creature that resembled what they had come call their own Foxy Forms. A giant silver fox was racing across an open field, its lithe body stretched out in the midst of an elegant leap.

The title, emblazoned across the top, read: _**A Kitsune's Tale**_. In the bottom right corner, was the name of the author, Shuichi Minamino; a foreign bloke apparently.

With eager anticipation, George opened the book to the first page and, taking turns, they began to read aloud from it.

"Our story begins, as most tales of fantasy do, in another world." George began. "This world is unlike the one you, dear reader, are used to. It is a realm filled with fantastic beasts; some, fierce and dangerous, predators to their very core. Others, intelligent and stealthy in their trade of choice. And still some, not so much."

Fred took up the next paragraph, continuing for his brother. "The protagonist for this tale, the silver Kitsune, Youko Kurama, was a master thief known throughout the Demon World as the Legendary Bandit. Though his true form was humanoid in shape, Youko preferred to perform his craft in his fox form."

For the next couple of hours the twins took turns reading passages from their book. It regaled the story of a fox demon who was famous in his world for his mischief and mayhem. His thievery skills were legend and he had many adventures. Until one pivotal moment...

"The hunters were drawing close. _'They are clever,'_ thought Youko _, 'But I am more so.'_ How arrogant of the spirit fox to think such a thing. It was not until he found himself cornered that he realized he could not escape his fate."

By now the twins were on the edge of their seat. This simple children's book had garnered their attention to the utmost, so much so that they had lost track of time. The sound of a phone ringing brought both of them to the present again. Fred glanced at the clock.

"Shit!" he exclaimed, leaping from the couch. "We were supposed to pick Hermione up over an hour ago!"

George glanced at the cell phone that lay on the table by the couch. Sure enough, Hermione's name was lit up on the screen.

"What are you waiting for, Forge, answer it!"

George shot his brother a resigned look before hitting 'accept' and putting the phone to his ear.

"Kit! So glad you called! We're running a bit late, you see-" George began, but the sound of Hermione's voice coming from the other end of the line cut him off.

 _"Don't bother, I'm almost home now anyway. I caught a ride."_ her voice sounded a bit icy and George winced at the implication of her mood. Then her words registered.

"With who?"

 _"Oliver Wood. You remember him, right? He was a year ahead of you in school, I think. Isn't that right?"_ George got the impression that the last question was not directed at him. An assumption that was proven correct as a male voice sporting a Scottish brogue spoke in the background on Hermione's end. _"That's right, Hermione. I seem to recall those two being quite the pranksters."_

Hermione's warm laughter filtered through the phone in response. _"They still are. Thank you so much for the ride, Oliver, I really appreciate it."_

 _"Any time, lass."_

The sound of a car door slamming shut jolted George out of his stupor just as Hermione, who seemed to remember that he was on the line, finally replied. _"Well, I'm home now, so I guess I'll let you get back to whatever you and Fred were doing. Goodbye."_

Before he could respond or even ask how she had known it was him and not Fred on the line, she had hung up.

George slowly lowered the cell phone from his ear, his stomach churning with a strange mixture of guilt at forgetting about Hermione, anger at himself for getting distracted enough to do such a thing and jealousy at the knowledge that Oliver Wood had been the one to give Hermione a ride home.

 _'I bet that's not the only ride he wants to give her.'_ he thought bitterly. Despite not intending it to, the stray thought slipped through the link to his twin.

Fred didn't even need to look at his brother to know something was wrong. The guilt and anger were both emotions he himself was feeling, however there was another that had spiked within George halfway through the seemingly one sided conversation with Hermione that had him puzzled. Then his brother's bitter words seeped into his mind and he became worried.

"What's going on, Georgie?" he asked, but received no reply, verbal or otherwise.

Fred watched as George threw the cell phone back onto the table, the little device making a clattering sound as it bounced on the surface that made him wince. George paid it no mind as instead he began to pace back and forth before Fred like a caged tiger, teeth practically bared in a near snarl, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides as the sense of jealousy and anger began to slowly outweigh the guilt.

Upon his third pass by him without saying anything, Fred finally took initiative and stepped in front of his brother, physically stopping him mid-step. He was surprise when George's eyes met his own. The normal, light blue eye color that they shared was now tinged with a hint of amber.

"George! What's the matter?" Fred nearly shouted in frustration as his brother's emotional whirlwind became his own.

"Oliver Fucking Wood. _**That**_ is what's the matter Fred. The sodding bastard is moving in on our Hermione!"

Suddenly, Fred was all too clear on what that extra emotion was as he too was swept into a state of jealousy and loathing. Oliver Wood had been their captain on the Rugby team at Hogwarts Academy, not to mention the star player. He remembered how obsessed with the game Wood had been, having them practice relentlessly before each game to ensure their constant victory. But if there was one thing Oliver Wood loved besides the sport, it was women. He'd had the reputation of a lady's man for sure and had on occasion been known to steal other blokes' girls. He had been the reason that Fred and Angelina had broken up rather spectacularly.

Fred wasn't aware of it, but his own eyes had begun to take on the same golden hue as his brothers.

* * *

-Flashback-

 _Fred paced the length and breadth of his dorm room nervously as he awaited the arrival of his girlfriend, Angelina Johnson, the head cheerleader for their Rugby team. They had been going steady for a few months now, and he was sure he was falling head over heels in love with her._

 _There was a slight nudge at the back of his mind, that made him feel uncomfortable every time he thought about his beautiful girlfriend, but he chalked it up to being nervous about relationships, as she was his first love._

 _He heard a soft knock on his door and running his fingers through his red hair a few times, winked at his reflection in the mirror, before moving to let Miss Johnson in. As he opened the door, his jaw dropped from the stunning sight of Angelina, who was clad in a form-fitting red dress that accentuated her curves rather fetchingly._

 _"You look gorgeous, Ange." he whispered, his breath hitching in his throat._

 _The dark skinned knock-out grinned saucily at him and stepped inside his room, shutting the door behind her, and leaned in for a proper welcome. "I missed you so much, baby." she purred as she crushed her lips to his in a scorching kiss, her hands grabbing onto his rather fine arse._

 _Fred kiss her back, but then pulled away in confusion. She tasted off somehow, like she had been inhaling a whole brewery, and she smelled of an aftershave that was not his. His heart sank into his stomach as he looked at her intensely._

 _"What's wrong, babe?" she asked, as she pressed her breasts and hips into his firm body. "I thought we could have some fun."_

 _The tall boy stiffened. "Honestly, it smells and tastes like you've already had your fun." he gritted between his teeth, and Angelina visibly blanched, looking like she had just been slapped._

 _"Freddie..." she whined. "It was just a mistake. I had a little too much to drink, and Ollie helped me get straightened out... What does a drink or two and a little fun hurt?"_

 _Fred was completely heartbroken at her words. "Get. Out." he whispered, his brain going completely numb at the thought of Angie cheating on him and thinking it was normal._

-End Flashback-

* * *

The twins shared a look so intense that if it were tangible it would have set the flat ablaze. Though it had happened years ago, the anger and betrayal that Fred had felt at losing Angelina to that pillock was still present. He had actually cared for Ange, had thought he was in love with her if he were honest with himself. Even after she had done what she had, he'd still carried a torch for her. Up until the time they had left school and accomplished their dream of opening their own business, Fred had often thought of what might have been. Until the connection that had always been present with Hermione had morphed into what they were now, that is.

And now, that stupid, arrogant, womanizing _**playboy**_ was after their Kit!

" _ **Fuck**_!" it came out as more of a growl than an actual word.

George felt the anger and jealousy draining away as if Fred were siphoning it all into himself. The once jilted twin was now the one seething.

"I'll kill him!" Fred's voice deepened into a guttural growl as he suddenly made a dash for the door.

"Fred, stop!" In a flash, George was off the couch and positioned between his twin and the door leading from their flat. "You don't even know where he is. He's already dropped Hermione off and left."

Fred's nostrils were flared as his breathing was labored with the amount of fury that consumed him, yet George's words managed to reach him and pull him back from the verge of whatever it was that he had been about to do.

It was only when Fred appeared to be calming down that George allowed himself to relax somewhat. He was still upset about the thought of Oliver Wood setting his sights on Hermione, but his worry over his twin's elevated fury allowed him the ability to put it on the back burner. He was aware of the circumstances involved in his twin's breakup with Angelina in their final year at school. It was no wonder that Fred was being affected more by all of this.

Gripping Fred by the shoulders, George led him back to the sofa and sat him down before picking up their forgotten book and settling beside him. "She's safe at home now, even if she's a bit miffed. We'll just give her time tonight to cool off and apologize in the morning when we take her to Lee's to pick up her car." he waited for Fred to nod before relaxing completely. "Okay, let's say we finish this book, hm? And afterward, I think perhaps it would be a good idea if we reached out to the author. I mean, he must know _**something**_ about our situation, given the contents of this book thus far."

Fred gave a resigned sigh as, thankfully, the rage that had momentarily filled him finally abated completely. The thought of finally getting some answers gave him hope that perhaps they could finally take the next step in completing this bond they had with Hermione. Focusing on the open book between them, Fred began to read where they had left off before receiving their ill-gotten phone call.

"Mortally wounded by the hunters, Youko could feel his life's essence draining away. For once, the famed spirit fox felt the stench of death encroaching upon him and knew that there was only one solution to his predicament."

George took up from Fred, as they once again were drawn into the story unfolding before them within the pages of their book.

"Using his fastly waning Demon Energy, Youko shed his physical form. Passing through the Barrier bordering the Demon World, he retreated to the outer lying Human World in search of a vessel in which to house his soul. In doing so, he could assure that he might hibernate in peace, during which time he could heal and regain his strength."

"His search ended in success, as he secured his safe haven within the womb of a human woman, heavy with child. And so began the new life of Kurama only two scant months later…"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** And with this chapter, we begin our crossover. I'm unsure of how many of my readers are familiar with the Japanese anime Yu Yu Hakusho and the character of Kurama, but those of you who are familiar might finally understand what is going on with the twins. Those who are not familiar, fear not. I will do my very best to explain everything that needs explaining when the time comes. I hope that you can continue to enjoy this story despite throwing this curve ball at you. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me. I won't mind answering anything you are unclear about. Also, this chapter and the following one marks a turn toward the angsty side of things regarding Fred and Hermione. You'll see as everything begins unfolding, but just thought I'd give everyone a head's up about the angst.


	11. Chapter 11

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 11 -**

* * *

 _ **\- Flashback to Monday Night -**_

* * *

Hermione gave yet another irritated huff as she peered out the front window of Flourish & Blotts. The lot was still empty, the last customer having left some time ago. Mr. Wood had also gone, having entrusted her with finishing up closing after she had assured him that she had a ride home. That had been over an hour ago and yet the twins had _**still**_ not arrived.

Tapping her foot impatiently, Hermione glanced at the wall clock for what felt like the hundredth time. She was extremely nervous about being here, alone at this time of night. She had thought for sure Fred and George would returned before closing time and be waiting for her once her job was done. She hadn't counted on being by herself at night, so close to the place where her assault had occurred.

In disbelief, she wondered if she would have to call and remind them. This was a first, normally she could always count on the twins to come through for her. Disappointed, Hermione began fishing around in her bag for her phone when the sound of tapping startled her. Her head shot up, eyes wide in fright before the sight of Oliver Wood's smiling, handsome face registered and relief flooded her system.

"Everything alright there, 'Mione? I figured you would already be gone home." the brown haired man waited for Hermione to open the door and let him inside, despite him possessing a key to the shop, since his grandfather was the owner.

"Well, I would be if my ride had come on time." Hermione tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, but found she couldn't. As she opened the door for Oliver, a thought occurred to her. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at some big game or something?"

Since graduating, the former Rugby captain for Hogwarts Academy had made a name for himself in the sport, much like Victor, Hermione's former boyfriend.

Oliver's boyish smile turned to slight embarrassment as he reached up and rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, I seem to have left my roster book in the back." he said sheepishy, " It has the names of the teams that my own team is looking at for new talent."

Hermione gave a slight chuckle. "Oh, well, that's a must have then, isn't it?" she said, leading him back to the office where the book most likely was.

"It's an essential, that's for sure." Oliver shared in her humor, glad that he had been able to lift her spirits.

By the dejected look on her face when he had first walked up, he had been a bit worried about her. In his opinion, she was far too pretty a girl to have that sort of look on her face and deserves to be kept smiling. Once Oliver had his ledger, be shot an inquiring look at Hermione.

"Well, if you don't want to wait anymore, I can drop you off at your house on my way." he offered.

Hermione started to decline, but one look outside to see the lack of any light blue Ford Anglias changed her mind. "That's really sweet of you, Oliver. Thanks." she smiled. Making sure everything was secure for the night, Hermione and Oliver exited the building, Hermione taking the time to turn off the lights and locking the door behind them. She followed Oliver to his vehicle, a brand new Fire Engine red Toyota 4x4, and he opened the passenger side door for her to allow her to get in. Once she was settled with her seatbelt secured, Oliver closed the door and rounded to the driver's side.

Once they were on their way, Hermione felt herself begin to relax as Oliver engaged her in a bit of friendly banter whilst he drove. Hermione appreciated the distraction, but when his playful words took a more flirtatious tone, she felt herself beginning to blush. She couldn't help but think that it should be Fred and George here, saying such sweet things to her and she felt herself grow annoyed once again. She felt the need to call them if for nothing more than to let them know she didn't need them to come get her anymore.

She scrolled through her Contacts list, then hit the call button beside George's name before bringing the device to her ear. It rang three times before she heard the chipper but panicked voice of one of her best friends.

 _"Kit! So glad you called! We're running a bit late, you see-"_ George began, but the sound of his voice hit an already agitated nerve and she cut him off rather abruptly.

"Don't bother, I'm almost home now anyway. I caught a ride." She told him, her voice taking on an icy tone that she had never used on the twins before.

 _"With who?"_ Of course he would want to know with whom she felt comfortable enough to accept a ride from, but George's inquiry inadvertently had Hermione's hackles rising.

"Oliver Wood." she informed him curtly. "You remember him, right? He was a year ahead of you in school, I think. Isn't that right?" She turned to look at Oliver for the latter part of the sentence, purposefully ignoring George for the moment.

"That's right, Hermione. I seem to recall those two being quite the pranksters." Oliver's head bobbed up and down indicating he remember the twins. By now they were just pulling up to her driveway.

"They still are," Hermione replied, giving a warm laugh at his fitting description of the twins. For some reason, she felt the urge to vocally emphasize the fact that them forgetting about her hadn't bothered her, even though, truthfully, it actually had. "Thank you so much for the ride, Oliver, I really appreciate it." she said, as the truck finally pulled to a stop. She knew full well that her phone call with George was still active and he was hearing every word that they were saying.

"Any time, lass." Oliver said to her as she climbed out of the truck.

She waved goodbye to Oliver before walking up the pathway towards her house. As she walked, she turned her attention back to her phone, and injected a chilly tone into her words as she once again addressed George. "Well, I'm home now, so I guess I'll just let you get back to whatever you and Fred were doing. Goodbye."

With that, she hung up the phone with a bit more force than necessary on the screen. Attempting to bring her temper back under control, Hermione let out a long, deep sigh as she finally reached her front door. She rummaged around for her keys within the depths of her bag, finally finding them at the very bottom and withdrawing them with a soft cry of triumph. Within seconds she had unlocked her door and was safely inside.

Tossing her purse and keys upon the little stand nearby, Hermione locked her door before collapsing against it, her back sliding down the surface until she was sitting upon the floor, her knees drawn up to her chest. She rested her forehead against them as her arms wrapped around her legs. She didn't know why the twins' thoughtlessness had upset her so much, but it had. She could feel the tears stinging the corners of her eyes as they tried to escape. Swiping and arm across her eyes, she concluded why she was angry with the twins.

Maybe it was the fact that she was still slightly unnerved after the attack, or perhaps it was because she had always been able to trust the twins to come through on their word. She was hurt and disappointed in the boys, which was a new combination for her. She had found herself disappointed in the boys quite a few times during school, but never, not even once, could she recall a time that they had ever hurt her in the process.

Glancing at the grandfather clock sitting against the foyer wall, Hermione noticed how late it truly was. Exhaustion began to creep in and with a yawn, the young woman decided that she needed to sleep. Yes, a bit of rest and perhaps she would feel more forgiving in the morning.

* * *

 _ **Tuesday Morning - The Twins' Flat**_

* * *

Fred and George were up bright and early, both with only one goal in mind to achieve that day: To grovel until they attained their Kit's forgiveness.

They had taken just enough time to freshen up, dress and grab a bite of toast before they were out the door, in the car and backing out onto the streets of Diagon. Fred was in the driver's seat this time, seeing as George was busy calling Lee to make sure that Hermione's car was going to be ready on time.

Lee answered, verifying that Hermione's car would indeed be ready around noon. As George was disconnecting the call, Fred was pulling the Anglia into Hermione's driveway. George shot his twin an apprehensive look. "You ready for this, Gred?"

Fred turned to his twin with a smile of trepidation. "Sure, who doesn't look forward to being verbally castrated."

George shuddered at the thought. "What say we try and avoid that at all costs?"

"Well, no promises as it is Kit we're talking about. I just really hope she's in a forgiving mood." Fred replied as he opened his side of the car. George exited on his side and the two began the slow walk to what they hoped was not their execution.

When they finally reached the front door, George raised his hand to knock, but before his fist could make contact the door was swiftly opened. Hermione stood before them, her arms crossed and as she pinned them to the spot with the stern expression she wore.

"Kit, love, so the aliens absolutely refused to release us when we demanded! Can you believe what inconsiderate prats they were? Remind us not to visit them anymore, okay, love?" Fred said before the infuriated woman could even open her mouth to yell at them.

At Fred's words, Hermione's mouth did open, but instead of chastising them as she had planned, words failed her and all she could do was gape at them in surprise. George was stunned as well. _**That**_ was what Fred thought would keep them from getting their proverbial arses handed to them?

"Ready for work. darling?" Fred continued, gesturing toward the car in the drive, looking from his brother's open mouth to Hermione's. "What? Oh, it's okay, the aliens didn't mess with the car. They just refused to release us until Georgie here gave them a striptease. He was being a bit of a prude about it, really. I tried, but they liked him better. To be honest, I don't think they're as intelligent as we thought since I'm obviously the better looking twin." he replied with a wink.

"Wha-" Hermione began, but shook her head instead. "Aliens? Honestly? Is that the _**best**_ excuse you could come up with?" Her tone did not sound promising to George's ears.

"I don't think joking is going to work this time, Freddie." George nudged his twin, urging him to be serious for once.

Fred's smile dropped from his face to be replaced with a frown. "I believe you're right, Georgie. Kit, what can we do to make it up to you?"

"How about if you started with the a truthful explanation." Hermione suggested. She had uncrossed her arms, which was a good sign in George's opinion. It meant she was not as defensive as she had been.

The brothers shared a look. How would she react if they simply told her that they had been so engrossed in a book that they had lost track of time?

 _'She already knows we got a book, Gred.'_ George projected to his twin. _'We just can't let her know what it was about.'_

 _'Okay, Forge, yes she might appreciate the fact that we read a book and immersed ourselves in it so much that we forgot to pick her up, but there could be the very fine chance that she will laugh at the fact that it was a children's book. A very informative one, but still a children's book.'_ Fred projected back.

As the brothers conversed silently, Hermione watched them, her brows beginning to furrow. Whether in annoyance or confusion, she wasn't sure. Ever since she'd known the twins they had done this. Lengths of silence where they would look to one another as if having a silent conversation. It had always been amusing in the past, but at the moment it was starting to get on her nerves.

"That's fine," she exclaimed suddenly, growing tired of waiting for an explanation that was apparently not going to come. "Let me just grab my purse so I can go get my car."

"Wait, wait, wait, Kit. Just hear us out. All joking aside." Fred rushed to stop her from storming back into the house. "On second thought, this might be a conversation for inside."

Hermione didn't even bother to turn around. Instead, she continued on into the living room, the twins following behind her. Once there, she flopped down onto the couch, grabbing one of the small cushions and gripping it to her chest like a child would a teddy bear.

Once again, the twins found themselves pinned by her glare."I'm waiting." was all she said.

Fred sat down on one side of her as George sat on the other. "The truth is Kit. That book we found yesterday that we were so excited about." Fred started. "Well, we kind of really got into the story."

George nodded when Hermione looked at him in disbelief. "It's true. We were so caught up in the story that time just sort of... flew by."

"That must have been some book," Hermione murmured, finding her anger dissipating as the truth was revealed. She couldn't count the number of times she'd gotten so into reading a good story that she had lost track of time. "And that's the only reason you forgot about me?" She asked, trying not to let on that the thought of them forgetting about her had hurt.

"To be clear, love, it wasn't _**you**_ that we forgot, but rather time." Fred declared.

George nodded in agreement. "That's right, we would never forget about you on purpose, Hermione. Remember what I said the other day?" he added, his eyes pleading with her to recall his words of how much she meant to them.

Hermione did recall, and her heart fluttered at the memory. Knowing that the only reason they hadn't come to get her last night was due to a simple case of distraction and not that they just didn't want to bother doing so, made her feel such a sense of relief and happiness, that Hermione couldn't help but smile brightly at them as she replied. "Given the circumstances, I suppose I'll have to forgive you."

The twins smiled in relief at her words and the both leaned in to wrap her up in their arms in a three way hug. Hermione melted into their embrace, admitting silently to herself that she'd missed this, the closeness and comfort their touch provided. When they each pressed a kiss to the top of her head, she sighed happily, and smiled.

"Well, now that we're past this crisis, let's say we go and get your car from Lee's, yeah?" Fred murmured into her hair and both Hermione and George nodded in agreement.

After they had picked up Hermione's car, spending a few moments to visit with Lee in the process, Hermione was soon on her way to work while the twins headed back to their flat. They wanted to read more of their book and see if they could get any information on how to contact the author. Surely whoever had the knowledge to write such a thing, would be at least familiar with their condition?

As the twins continued poring over their book and searching for the author, Hermione was just starting her day at work, having opened the register to place the appropriate amount of money inside to start the day, when the sound of tinkling bells above the door sounded, indicating it had opened. Looking up, Hermione watched as Oliver Wood entered the store, smiling at her in greeting.

"Mornin', Lass. I see you got your car back from the garage." he noted in his warm, Scottish brogue.

"Yes, Fred and George took me early this morning to get it." she replied as she closed the register drawer before moving around the counter to begin straightening the shelves. She moved a few of the misplaced tomes into their right places, alphabetizing them as she went.

Oliver smiled as he thought of how angry she had been at the wonder twins last night. "So, did they have to endure your wrath of forgetting you yesterday? What was their reasoning for doing such a thing? I would have never forgotten such a lovely lass."

Hermione smiled at the sweet comment, but felt the need to defend the twins, now that she knew the reason behind their tardiness. "Actually, it's quite funny, now that I know why they didn't show. Apparently, they were so wrapped up in a book they bought yesterday, they lost track of time." she said, as she moved on to the next isle, Oliver trailing behind her. "I can actually relate since I have done the same thing on ocassion."

Oliver gave a slight laugh, "I don't ever remember seeing the twins reading a book in school." he said.

"That's because they never did, not willingly anyway." she chuckled. "It was rather surprising, honestly. But also rather sweet." She didn't realize her voice taking on a dreamy tone as her thoughts began drifting to her two red heads.

"Well, I am sure those two are full of surprises as always" Oliver commented as he watched Hermione started to drift off into her own thoughts and memories. Determined to bring the pretty brunette's attention back to him, Oliver cleared his throat rather loudly before posing his next statement. "So, do you have anything planned for next Saturday?"

Hermione looked startled by his question. Was Oliver Wood about to ask her out? Before she could think of a response, preferably a polite way to turn him down, the jingling sound of the store's door being opened heralded the arrival of the book store's first customer of the day.

Taking this for the distraction it was, Hermione excused herself politely. "I'm so sorry, Oliver, but I need to take care of this customer. Perhaps we can talk later today." she offered a bright smile and slipped by the brown haired Scot before he could say anything more.

She walked over to the older lady who had unknowingly been her saving grace and began chatting with her, asking what sort of books she was interested in and how she could assist. From the corner of her eye, she saw when Oliver slipped out of the shop and a mixture of relief and guilt assaulted her. She was flattered that he was actually showing interest in ber, but her feelings for the twins was something she just could not deny. The last thing she wanted to do was to lead Ollie on.

Shaking it off, Hermione turned back to the woman. "What you're looking for will be right over in this direction, ma'am." she said, leading the way to the romance section.

* * *

 _ **The Twins' Flat - Tuesday Afternoon**_

* * *

Fred sat back in the couch as he allowed his brother to fire up the laptop. They had finished the book just a few moments prior and now they were preparing to look for any information, preferably of the contact kind, on the author. As George brought up the browser, Fred reflected on the tale they had read and pondered all of the similarities between the powers they possessed and the subject of their book: Youko Kurama.

Could it be true, that there were such things as Kitsune, as the book had called his species? Where he and George not human at all? It left him feeling a bit torn. On one hand, they at least had somewhat of an idea of what they were. But on the other, the revelation led him to wonder what sort of creatures they were. Could they be a danger to other? His response yesterday to the idea of Oliver Wood being after Hermione had kind of scared him, if he were honest. He'd been literally ready to go hunt Oliver down. What he had planned to do with Wood once he'd found him, Fred didn't know. And he wasn't quite sure he wanted to find out.

The sound of George's cry of triumph brought Fred back from his musings and he looked over to the page that his twin had brought up.

"I found him. Shuichi Minamino. Says here he's a professor at a local university in Tokyo, Japan." George was crowing at his success. "And look, it even has a number to contact his office!"

Fred felt a grin stretch across his face. Finally, it seemed they were catching a break. "Well, what are you waiting for, Georgie? Grab the mobile and give the bloke a ring."

George did just that, grabbing his cell and punching in the telephone number that was listed on the page for one Professor Shuichi Minamino. Putting it on loudspeaker, the twins impatiently waited while the phone rang. Once. Twice. Three times.

And then the bloody thing went to voice mail.

They about threw their hands up in the air in frustration when this happened, but managed to restrain themselves. Instead, George focused on forming a coherent and attention catching message. The last thing they wanted was for this Minamino bloke to not take it seriously and not return their call.

"Yes, Mr. Minamino." George began as the man's voice mail clicked on.

"Oi, don't forget to tell him your name." Fred chimed in from behind George, much to his twin's annoyance.

Rolling his eyes, George replied, "I bloody well knew that Fred," before trying once more. "Mr. Minamino, this is George Weasley. You don't know me-"

"Oh! Let him know that we urgently need to speak with him." Fred called out once again, garnering a rather murderous look from his brother.

"Do _**you**_ want to talk to the machine?" George practically growled as he thrust the phone towards Fred.

His twin shook his head in response, waving him off. "No, no, you go ahead." he responded, earning himself a definite growl this time.

"Okay, then, will you _**please**_ let me speak?" George managed to say through gritted teeth.

"So-rry." Fred muttered, a bit put out that his twin seemed upset with him. _'Fine.'_ he thought bitterly. _'See if I try and help again.'_

George sighed deeply as he finally turned back to - hopefully - finish recording his message. "Mr. Minamino, sorry about that, but there is a matter of great importance that I really need to discuss with you. It involves Akio, you see, and that book that you wrote awhile back. If there's any way that you could get back in touch with me ASAP then I would much appreciate it. My number is 44 8800 5555. Feel free to call collect if necessary, just please do call. Thank you."

Hanging up the phone, George looked sharply at his brother. "Was that to your liking or should I call back and try again?" he asked sarcastically.

Fred, once again ignoring his brother's sarcasm, nodded, "It's fine. We'll simply give him a couple days to call back, and if we don't hear anything, then we'll try again."

George stared at Fred a moment. He truly was the smarter twin, wasn't he. Shaking his head, George placed the cell down on the table as he leaned back onto the couch in thought. "You know, I'm curious, Freddie." he said after a moment. "You think he might have written any other books? Ones that might apply to us and our condition?" he looked over at Fred who was shutting down the laptop to put it back in its case.

Fred shrugged. "We can always go up to the book shop and look around. We could say hello to Kit while we're there." he suggested.

"Yeah," George agreed."If we're lucky, we'll catch her on her lunch break."

Putting his cell phone in his pocket in case they got "the call" while away from the flat, the brothers headed towards Flourish and Blotts book store.

* * *

 _ **Flourish and Blotts - Tuesday Afternoon**_

* * *

Hermione paid no mind the the jingling sound that indicated another customer had entered the store. It had sounded enough times throughout the day that the impulse to look up every time had ebbed. She had just come back from lunch, and was doing inventory when an arm wrapped around her shoulders. She stiffened slightly, but when another arm wrapped around her waist from the other side, she instantly relaxed.

"Hello, boys." she smiled, looking back into Fred and George's grinning faces.

"Hello, pet," George, who's arm was around her shoulders, said as he squeezed her slightly in greeting.

"Fancy meeting you here," Fred's arm around her waist also gave her a squeeze, pulling her into his side in the process.

Hermione shook her head in amusement. "Shocking, I know. What are you guys doing here?" she asked curiously. "Looking for another book to buy?" She hadn't been serious when asking the last question, but was surprised when they both nodded their heads yes.

"We actually was hoping we could find anything else by the author of the book we got the other day." Fred said, sounding hopeful. "Think you could help us, Kit?"

"I'll sure try," Hermione began, but just then another customer approached her, asking to be checked out. "Of course, sir, I'll be right with you." Hermione said, gesturing for him to go ahead to the register. She turned back to the twins. "What's the last name of the author?" she asked. "I can't at least point you in the right direction."

"Minamino." George informed her.

Hermione grabbed hold of an arm each and steered them over a couple of isles, releasing them once they'd reached the right isle. "Everything's alphabetized, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding something by that author." she told them. "Let me take care of this customer and I'll see if I can help you look."

She was surprised when both of them protested. "No, no!" they said in unison.

"Wouldn't want to take you away from your post." George said, giving her a wink.

"I'm sure we can manage." Fred assured her. "You just go take care of that gentleman by the register. He looks like he's getting impatient."

Hermione turned to look, and sure enough the man waiting to be checked out was looking pointedly at his watch. "Oh!" Hermione exclaimed, hurrying over and leaving the twins to browse the section marked "M".

* * *

Oliver slipped back into the book shop using the key his gramps had given him to the back door leading in to the store room. He stealthily made His way through the stacks until he had an unobstructed view of the woman who had recently caught his eye. He watched Hermione ring up another customer before going back to the stack of papers she was working through, his hazel eyes taking in her petite form.

Her feminine curves had developed nicely since the last time he had seen her his final year at Hogwarts. They were accented well in the silky blouse and pencil skirt she wore, clinging in just the right way it made his hands itch to caress them. He appreciated the chestnut curls that fell down her back in silky waves, a vast difference to the bushy mess he remembered her possessing in school. Yes, Hermione Granger had grown into a bonnie fine lass if he didn't say so himself.

He recalled the way she had looked at him earlier when he had been about to ask her out, but had been interrupted before she could respond. It almost appeared like she was about to turn him down, but that couldn't be right. Oliver Wood had never been turned down by anyone of the female persuasion before.

He was positive all she needed was a taste of what would be in store for her when she accepted his offer and went out with him. A smug smirk crossed his full lips as he began to make his way toward his distracted target.

Yes, all she needed was a little taste.

* * *

Hermione sighed in satisfaction. She had just finished up the inventory sheets for the incoming new books and had them neatly filed away in their folder. She had just placed the folder in the filing cabinet beside the front desk when she felt an arm slip around her waist and immediately assumed it was one of the twins. She was surprised, however, when the arm pulled her up against a firm chest and she glanced up, finding herself staring into the boyishly handsome face of her boss' grandson, Oliver Wood.

"Ollie? What are you-"

Her words were cut off when Oliver swooped down and captured her lips with his. For a moment, she just stood there, frozen in shock as all around them customers of the bookstore stared. Then the silence was broken by two animalistic snarls.

Before Hermione had gathered her wits enough to shove Oliver away, the former rugby captain was being viciously yanked away as another pair of strong, familiar arms gathered her close.

Hermione looked up into a pair of vaguely familiar eyes. Vaguely familiar due to the fact that the usual jovial blue that George's eyes normally possessed, were now mixed with a foreign sheen of amber. George's altered eyes held hers for a brief moment before darting to the left and Hermione turned her head to see what had captured his attention. She gasped at the sight that she beheld a short distance away.

Fred had a struggling Oliver Wood pinned against a wall of the book store. The few customers that had been present had suddenly vanished, having quickly exited the building once the twins had effectively separated the kissing couple.

Fred had the urge to wrap his fingers around the brown haired man's neck and squeeze relentlessly, but he reigned it in. Instead he settled for pressing his forearm firmly to the bastard's throat while he growled menacingly into his face.

"Get. The. Fuck. Away. From. Hermione!" Fred sneered.

The Other tried to protest, but Fred simply applied more pressure to the throat, nearly, but not quite, cutting off the air supply.

He could smell The Other's fear wafting off in waves, like a delectable aroma that appeases the nose. Something inside Fred stirred and suddenly, he wasn't quite himself anymore as a sinister smile stretched across his lips. He leaned in close, so close he could feel The Other's trembling, and placed his mouth scant inches away from an ear.

"If you _**ever**_ touch what is ours again, it will truly be the _**last**_ thing you do." The threat carried on the whisper like a promise and he felt The Other's feeble nod, the only response viable.

His gold-tinged eyes locked with terrified hazel ones and for a moment the urge to rip out a throat emerged before a sweet, tender voice calling his name broke through the haze clouding his mind.

"Fred... Fred, let him go," A gentle hand gripped the bicep of the arm held across Oliver's throat. "Please, Fred."

The golden sheen that had crept into his eyes began to abate as Fred released his hold on Oliver. The young athlete slid to the ground gasping for air as the realization of how out of control he had suddenly become dawned on the redhead. When Hermione crouched down beside Oliver to check on him, throwing a slightly scared look toward Fred in the process, it was drove home all the more. What had he done?

He glanced towards George, and shame washed over him when he saw the wary look his twin was sporting. Drawing away from the man he had basically just assaulted, Fred diverted his gaze from all present, murmuring an apology before darting for the door. Once outside, he slipped into the nearby wooded area and took to the trees, using the mysterious agility he possessed.

 _'Fred, come back!'_ He heard George's mental call, but chose not to heed it. Instead, he sent a mental message back to his twin before blocking his side of the link entirely.

 _'I need to be alone for a bit. Don't follow me.'_

* * *

 **A/N:** Boy, oh boy here comes the angst I was telling you about.


	12. Chapter 12

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 12 -**

* * *

Hermione watched from her crouched position beside Oliver as George raced out of the shop after Fred. Her heart was still racing in her chest, but was beginning to slow down as the adrenaline began to seep from her body. It had been scary to watch Fred acting so feral as he had pinned Oliver to the wall in such a vicious way. Remembering the sandy haired man, she turned back to check on him, trusting that George would take care of his brother.

"My goodness, Ollie, are you alright?" she asked, clutching his shoulder gently in comfort, but he flung it off a bit forcefully as he made to stand.

Hermione, surprised by his action, backed away, her eyes wide as she climbed to her feet as well. She stared at him in confusion.

"I'm fine." he said sharply, his eyes looking past her towards where Fred had disappeared.

Upon seeing George reenter the shop, he began to make his way back to the store room, to the exit beyond. Hermione's brows furrowed as she watched Oliver leave, a bit of guilt mixed with the hurt settling in the pit of her stomach for being the reason that Fred had done what he had.

George walked up behind Hermione, the weight of his hand coming to rest upon her shoulder was comforting, and Hermione sank back against his chest. She glanced around, noticing that Fred wasn't with him.

"Where's Fred?" she asked, pulling away to turn and face George. She noticed that his eyes were back to their normal blue, and also that they held a great deal of worry in their depths.

"He's... gone. For now." George uttered. "I think he just needs time. I'm sure he'll be back at the flat by the time I get there." his eyes flitted to the back where Oliver had gone. "He alright?"

"I suppose," Hermione shrugged, looking over her shoulder to assure that the other man had truly left. "He was a bit angry, though."

"It was his own fault. Shouldn't have kissed you like that without your permission." George argued. "He didn't have your permission, right?" he added, a bit of uncertainty mixing with the worry already present.

Hermione gave a half-hearted laugh. "No, he didn't. He sort of sprung it on me suddenly. I didn't have time to react before you and Fred intervened." she said, wanting to make him aware of how unwanted Oliver's kiss had been. "I would have pushed him away if Fred hadn't grabbed him first."

Her words brought both of their thoughts back to the absent twin. They knew that Fred would be more upset by his actions and that made them both concerned for his need to be alone. The sound of jingling rang out and Hermione and George's eyes shot to the door, hoping to see Fred, but instead saw a new customer enter the shop.

"I guess I've got to get back to work," Hermione said, pulling George to her for a hug.

He wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her to him for a moment longer as he breathed in her scent in an attempt to calm himself. The agitation of not knowing exactly where his twin was bothered him. It was as if Fred had severed their connection and it hurt.

Pulling back, George looked down into Hermione's eyes. "It'll be alright. I'll go back to the flat and wait on Freddie. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"You do that." she whispered as she withdrew herself from George's embrace. "Don't forget." she stepped away slowly.

"I won't." George promised and she nodded, turning to tend to the customer. George ran a hand through his hair tiredly, and with a sigh, left the shop.

* * *

Deep within the woods bordering Diagon Alley and high atop the tallest tree, Fred Weasley sat. His legs ran along the length of a branch, ankles crossed, while his back rested against the trunk of the large oak. His elbows were bent, allowing his forearms to be crossed behind his head as the red head's eyes trained on the darkening sky above.

As the sun began its descent below the horizon, his thoughts lingered on what had taken place earlier in the bookstore. He had been more than ready to rip Oliver Wood's head off, and to be honest, he wasn't entirely sure if he would have felt all that bad about it.

The look on Hermione's face as she looked up at him from beside that bastard... her brown eyes, normally so soft and with filled with affection had been wide and horror-filled.

It was that look of fright on her pretty face, and the trembling in her voice as she pleaded with him to let go, that had given him pause. Then the thought of Oliver's lips on hers had given him another. If their bond with the brunette was as strong as they thought, then _**why**_ was she letting that prat kiss her?

Feeling the rage that had consumed him earlier beginning to rise again, Fred forced the image in his mind away. He had to stop thinking about it, about Hermione and _**him**_. Would this intense jealousy - this fierce desire to protect - be what was brought out of him by the bond that he and his twin shared with her? He almost felt _**too**_ possessive of her, surely that wasn't healthy?

The lack of control he had felt was frightening. No wonder George had looked so alarmed. He didn't want this. Doubt and Fear began to expound upon him as Fred continued to try and come to grips with everything. It all boiled down to the bond, when it had been forged, oh so long ago. It had happened without their consent, but they hadn't questioned it. Instead, they had went with it, allowing it to grow with each milestone reached as their uniqueness developed.

 _'Perhaps we should have.'_ Fred thought. _'Maybe... maybe we shouldn't have let this happen.'_

Their attraction to Hermione had been growing steadily, had been present even during school and they had done nothing to dissuade it. He had happily dated before, he recalled. If not for Oliver fucking Wood, then he and Angelina might even be still together now. Maybe even married. The 'what ifs' began to build in Fred's mind.

What if he had given Angelina a second chance?

What if he had questioned more about these feelings for Hermione?

The feelings had grown, yes, but where did they stem from?

Were his affections for her truly his own?

 _'Maybe it's time I put a little distance between myself and Hermione.'_ Fred pondered. _'Georgie too, if I can persuade him. A little distance, to help clear our heads.'_ he nodded to himself at the decision. _'Yeah, I think maybe that's what we need.'_

* * *

It was late, nearing three in the morning when Fred silently entered the darkened flat. His stealthiness was for not, however, as suddenly the living room was flooded with light and George stood up from the couch in which he had been camped upon for most of the night.

He didn't say anything at first, just stared at his brother. The worry had built as the night progressed, and it had taken a toll on the older twin. Now that Fred was back home, safe, George couldn't help but feel a bit mad at Fred. Instead of staying and letting him help to work through what had happened at F&B's he had fled. George couldn't understand it. For as long as he could remember, they had never held back anything from one another. They'd always made it a point to be there for one another, so why had Fred run away?

"You alright, Freddie," George fought to hold back the irritated edge that tinged his inquiry, but he knew Fred could sense it. He had apparently opened the link back up between them.

Fred walked past his brother. "I'm fine, George." he responded as he slowly made his way to his bedroom door. "Nothing a bit of sleep won't cure."

"A bit of sleep?" George looked in disbelief at his brother's back as Fred hadn't bothered to turn around. Instead, the younger one simply began toeing off his shoes, kicking them to the side of the bedroom door.

"Yeah, sleep." Fred snarked, "You know, that thing we do on a nightly basis to keep our devilish good looks?"

George ground his teeth to keep from growling at his twin. "Fred, we need to talk about what happened earlier. You know, work it out. You can't just go to sleep." he hissed. Fred had yet to turn around and face him.

"No we don't." Fred's reply seemed cold, and when he finally looked over his shoulder at him, George could see that his expression matched his voice. "And I've already work it out, so don't worry about it."

With a tight-lipped smile, Fred entered his bedroom. The sound of the door closing, followed by a lock being turned left George standing alone as a feeling of unease began to build within him.

* * *

 _ **Flourish & Blotts - Wednesday Morning**_

* * *

Hermione went to work as she normally would, but the contentment that she usually felt at being among the things she enjoyed was dampened by worry of running into Oliver. She had yet to hear from George this morning as well, so she was still in the dark concerning Fred and how he was dealing with what he had done. After what had happened yesterday with the kiss and Fred's actions following it, she was a bit uneasy with facing Oliver today. Would he be mad at her for what Fred had done? Would he complain to his grandfather, her boss, and get her fired in the process?

When he made an appearance around noon, Hermione tensed for just such a consequence. Instead, much to her surprise, Oliver greeted her with an easy smile.

"Morning, Hermione! Hasn't been too busy for ye today, has it, lass?" he asked cheerfully. A bit too cheerfully.

Hermione crossed her arms and gave a look that said "cut the crap, Ollie" which he noticed right away. Bringing a hand up, he rubbed at the back of his neck at having been silently called out on his act.

Thankfully there were no customers in the store at the moment, so Hermione was able to speak freely to the Scot. "Oliver, I know you were upset yesterday, so you don't have to put on an act. I can understand if you're mad at me for what Fred did to you." She said a bit nervously.

"Nae, never think that, Hermione. I could never be mad at ye." he protested, his accent getting a bit thicker as he spoke. "I was a mite upset, for sure, but afterwards I realized I was outta line with kissin' ye like I did." his cheeks tinged a bit as he remembered the brief taste of her he had managed to steal. "I can'na say I regret it though." he added.

Hermione blushed a bit at his admission. "It was unexpected, Oliver." she said, shifting a bit as she leaned her hip against the counter. "It was even a bit nice, if I'm being honest. But there are certain feelings to consider and I'm sorry, but I just can't ignore them."

"Ye mean the twins, I take it." he responded darkly.

At her small nod, Oliver reacted, stepping close to her as he reached out to grasp her shoulders. "Ye need ta be careful around 'em, lass. Can'na ye tell they could be a danger to ye?"

Hermione felt a weird mixture of gratitude and anger. Gratitude for his consideration for her safety and anger at what he was implying about her twins by voicing his concerns. Fred and George had been her friends for the longest time, her very first true friends, in fact, and she trusted them unconditionally. She even figured that, if the need ever called for it, she could trust them with her life.

"Listen, Oliver," she began, "I appreciate your concern, really I do, but it's completely unnecessary. The twins would never do anything to harm me. What happened yesterday? That was unprecedented, and honestly, I can't see something like that happening again."

"I don't know, Hermione." Oliver objected. "That was really intense yesterday. Fred might well could'a killed me."

"But he didn't." she pointed out in turn. She felt the desire to defend Fred against Oliver's slander. "And I'll ask you to please refrain from speaking ill of either Fred nor George again, thank you." she said hotly, as all her previous anxiety of maybe being fired was now gone. If he was so petty as to get her booted for taking up for her friends, then so be it.

Oliver held his hands up in surrender. "A'right, lassie, no need ta get uppity. I'll say nary another word on the matter." he backed down both figuratively and literally as he stepped away from her. "I suppose if'n ye are not willin' ta take my warnin' then it's on ye then. Take care, Hermione." the Scot gave her one last lingering look before shaking his head in regret, then turning to leave.

Stalking up to the door, Hermione locked it behind Oliver, then put up the 'Out To Lunch' sign. It was nearing her break anyway, so she grabbed her cell phone from her purse as she had the sudden need to hear either of the twins' voice. Plus, she wanted to check on how Fred was doing.

* * *

 _ **The Twins' Flat - Wednesday Afternoon**_

* * *

The sound of the cell phone ringing at his bedside had George fumbling from beneath the covers in an attempt to silence the offending sound. After waiting up half the night on Fred to make it back in, followed by the odd exchange that followed when he finally had, George was exhausted and half-asleep as he finally grasped the vibrating device and looked groggily at the screen.

When he made out Hermione's name, however, he perked up a bit as he remembered he was supposed to let her know how Fred was doing once he'd returned. He paused before punching the accept button. He wasn't entirely sure what he should tell her. His twin had seemed... off somehow... when he had finally came back in the middle of the night. Though he had said he was fine, George was having a hard time believing him, and that gave the older twin another reason for concern.

They had never made a habit of lying to each other before.

Finally, after the fifth ring, George hit 'Accept' and placed it to his ear. "Morning, love. How's work so far?" he managed to mumble as he swung his legs around and struggled to sit up on the side of the bed.

 _"Good morning, George,"_ Hermione's voice was soothing, and despite how tired he was, he found a smile tugging at his lips at the sound. _"I'm sorry if I disturbed you,"_ she apologized, having noticed how his voice sounded slightly slurred and correctly guessed that she must have woken him with her call. _"I was just wondering how Fred's doing. He did make it home okay last night, right?"_

George had stood up by now, rubbing his fingers across his eyes to wipe away the vestiges of sleep pooled at the corners. "He did make it home last night." George assured her, though he left out in what state his twin had returned in.

He made his way into the living room, glancing at his twin's door and noticing it was still shut. He reached out with his side of their link, searching for Fred's presence. He relaxed slightly when he sensed him, a sigh of relief escaping him in a soft exhale. For a moment, George had worried that he had slipped away again, but Fred must have just had the same idea as him about sleeping in.

 _"Well that's good."_ Hermione's voice came over the speaker, bringing his attention back to their conversation. _"I was thinking I might drop by this evening after work, if that's alright. I'd like to let him know that... well, I'd like to just check on him."_

"That's fine, Hermione. We both slept in a bit this morning, but I'm fixing to wake Fred up now. It's about time we opened the shop, as I fear we've been a bit too neglectful this past week." George stated, knowing it was true. The shop had, for once, been the last thing on their minds after 'The Incident' last Thursday.

 _"Oh! Well, then, I'll leave you to it. My lunch is about over anyway and I need to get back."_ Hermione's voice sounded relieved at the news that they were back to business as usual, though George was uncertain how true that was. He guessed he would see in a moment once he woke up Fred. _"Goodbye, George. I'll see you both tonight."_

"Bye, Kit, see you tonight." he replied, ending the call and placing the cell phone down before walking over to the door leading to his brother's room.

He knocked lightly, remembering that Fred had locked his door upon entering it last night. When there came no response, he tried again, rapping his knuckles a bit harder against the wood. The sound must have carried this time, as he heard shuffling from within the room, followed by his brother's distinct grumbling.

"What d'you want, George? I'm try'n to sleep in here!" came the irritable protest.

"Yeah, I know, Freddie. But we really need to get up and tend to the shop some today. It won't open itself, you know." George leaned against the door, listening as his brother tossed about upon the bed. He then heard the distinct sound of feet hitting the floor a bit forcefully and he straightened up just seconds before the door was unlocked and yanked open. He was met by his mirror image, looking just as haggard and worn out as he was sure he himself did.

"You are most definitely the annoying twin, I hope you know." Fred said glaringly before disappearing back into his bedroom to dress.

George tried to grin, but it came a bit forced. Not bothering to shoot a joking retort at his twin as he normally would, he returned to his room to dress as well.

* * *

They opened the shop shortly around one, and not long afterwards customers were flooding in. The twins' giddiness at how successful their little business had become never faded, and today was no different. They came in droves, young and old alike, always looking for a product that would suit their pranking needs. If the brother's knew nothing else, they were certain that above all else, people always yearned for a reason to laugh.

And that is what the Weasley twins excelled at.

As the afternoon wore on to evening, however, George began to take note of something alarming. Whenever a pretty bird ever entered their shop, it was a given that the handsome owners would flirt outrageously in hopes of making a sale or several. Ever since their bond with Hermione had reached the stage it e as now, neither twin had taken it seriously, always politely declining invites to meet up after work or accepting slips of paper with phone numbers hastily scribbled down.

So when George witnessed Fred allowing a pretty blonde to slip just such a thing into the pocket of his trousers, George did an immediate double take.

He watched incredulously as Fred smiled winningly at the broad who was flaunting her rather obvious assets at him. The woman laughed at something Fred had said to her, leaning in closer than was strictly necessary to do so. When Fred actually reached out and tucked a lock of flaxen hair behind the woman's ear, his hand gliding along her cheek and down the arch of her neck in the process, George had seen enough.

Finishing up the last transaction, George slammed the register closed a little too hard, startling the customer he'd just rang up and causing them to jump a bit.

"Excuse me, please." George managed to say politely through gritted teeth that he tried to pass off as a smile, but by the young boy's expression, he didn't think he succeeded.

Making his way around the counter, George stalked over to where Fred appeared to be about to lead the blonde off somewhere towards the back of the shop. His hand was settled at her waist, though his fingers were dipping a tad lower into a set of full hips.

He reached out and grabbed Fred by the shoulder, his hand fisted the material of his twin's shirt tightly as he tugged him away from the blonde, who pouted in disappointment. Fred protested at the rough handling he was being submitted to as George hustled him through a door in the back that lead to a storeroom. Once inside, George slammed the door shut as he thrust Fred away from him, Fred stumbling a bit in the process.

"What the bloody hell was that out there just now?" he demanded as Fred righted himself and whirled around to glare at his brother.

"What was what, brother-mine?" Fred retorted, his voice sounding more defensive despite the look of innocence he plastered on his face.

"You letting some bird give you her number." George replied, with shock that Fred could act so innocent about it, throwing a hand back toward the door.

"So? It was just a number, Georgie. Not like I'd have actually called it." Fred shrugged. "It was just an option, you know."

"Option? What the... since when do we need _**options**_? We have Kit?" George questioned with a perplexed look at his brother. "We don't need all those floundering birds."

"I just..." Fred faltered a moment, a conflicted look crossing his face, but then as if resolving himself, he began again. "Do you realize how close I came to killing that wanker yesterday? I could have ripped his sodding head off and not gave a fuck about it."

"I realize. I was there as well." George shot back.

"No, you don't." Fred swallowed hard. His twin may have thought he knew how it had felt, to be so out of your mind with rage that you were nearing a feral state, but Fred doubted George actually comprehended it fully. "I think it was because of the bond that I acted that way. It was as if I wasn't myself, I was so out of control. If Granger hadn't called out when she had..."

"Granger? Since when is she 'Granger'?" George looked at him as if he had grown a second head. Hermione had _**always**_ been Kit to them not Granger and for Fred to use her sur name was troubling.

Trying to remember all of the reasons he had come up with to justify his decision on distancing himself from Hermione, Fred gave his twin a firm look. "Since I decided I want to take control of my life, George, and not let some bond that came out of nowhere govern who I want to be with."

"So, you're saying you _**don't**_ want to be with Hermione now?" George couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I'm saying, dear brother, that I want to... make sure it's real. You may be willing to trust that this is all natural and jump feet first in with her, but given what this bond caused me to do yesterday... just because he kissed her?" Fred shook his head. "Is it so bad to want a relationship that's normal?"

George looked closer at his brother, "I thought it _**was**_ a normal relationship. Gred, listen, are you sure that all the negative thoughts that you are having aren't just you feeling guilty for nearly maiming Wood?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Maybe," uncertainty rose again for a brief moment, but Fred was stubborn and once again shoved it deep down. "But maybe not. I just want the chance to figure it out on my own."

George, slightly annoyed that his twin was questioning a bond that they had both relished in for years, ran his hand through his hair. He knew that if they continued to discuss this now, then it would turn ugly. "What do you say we finish the day out and talk about it later tonight, yeah?"

Fred shot his twin an appreciate glance, before diverting his gaze, not really able to bring himself to meet his brother's eyes. "Sounds like a plan." he nodded shortly, then glanced at the wall clock near the back of the store room. "Blimey, it's past closing. Guess we'd best clear out the shop then." and with that, Fred spun on his heel and exited back into the store front.

George watched silently as his twin walked out of the room before running a hand wearily over his face, the palm coming to a stop covering his mouth as he contemplated the conversation that had just transpired between him and Fred. Apparently what had happened yesterday had had more of a negative impact on his brother than he had thought.

When Fred had disappeared into the woods, effectively blocking their link on his end for hours that night, followed by the indifferent air he had felt surrounding the brief moment they had spoken once Fred had returned should have clued him in that something was terribly wrong. A more in depth talk later was definitely in order.

Dropping his hand as he exhaled heavily, George followed his double out of the store room.

* * *

 _ **Malfoy Manor - Wednesday Night**_

* * *

Dobby did his best to dodge the tray that had been lobbed at him by the petulant young man lounging on the settee. Despite his age, he was still a spritely old man so the he managed, though only partly. The tray grazed him as it sailed past to clatter on the floor behind him, the contents that had been carefully laid out for Master Draco's dinner upending and making quite the mess around it.

"M-m-master Draco, please, calm down. Winky spent hours preparing that meal, sir." Dobby cringed, as he knew he had spoken out of line, but hadn't been able to hold back the words.

"Shut up!" Draco growled as he slouched even further in his seat. His mangled leg was propped up before him on an ottoman and some pillows and a cane that almost, but not quite, matched his father's leaned against the wall nearby. "I don't care about how much time was spent on preparing anything. It was probably rubbish anyway."

"Now, now, Draco. You should know better than to play with you food." Lucius purred as he entered the room.

"I play with whatever I wish, father." Draco replied as he glared at the older Malfoy. "Which is why I'm angry. Why haven't you brought Granger before me yet? I want my revenge."

"Patience, Draco," Lucius soothed his disgruntled son. "I have Crabbe and Goyle following her and when the time is right, they shall bring her to me."

"To you? But it was me who was assaulted. I should be the one to discipline her." Draco argued.

Lucius arched a silver brow as he looked down at his son. "And why, pray tell, do you think you're man enough to... discipline... Miss Granger? Look what happened the last time you were in her presence. Surely you've learned your lesson."

Draco's face grew red, this time though, it is not because he is mad. "I deserve to be the one to teach that little witch a lesson." he protested. "Because of her I'm maimed for life!"

"Nonsense. Gus assured me that nothing serious was punctured and your leg will heal with time." Lucuis looked down at Dobby who had been cleaning the spilled food from the floor throughout his masters' conversation. "Dobby."

"Yes, sir." Dobby replied obediently, though he did not stop with his task. Rule number 1, never stop working unless you're told.

"Once you have finished with this, I want you to go fetch my son another plate of food."

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, sir." Dobby hastened to finish gathering everything in order to carry out his next job.

"Now then," Lucuis turned back to his son, who still had a defiant expression on his face, though he held his tongue, knowing his father would grow weary of his backtalk soon. "I want you to eat your dinner, and when you are done you will go prepare for bed like the good son I know you are." the words "good son" held a hint of mocking that mad Draco grumble quietly under his breath.

"Yes, father." he seethed through gritted teeth, then glared at his father's retreating back the entire way to the door.

Once he was sure his father was out of hearing range, Draco let out a string of curses that left Dobby's ears ringing. "This is ridiculous. When will he stop treating me like a child?" Forgetting for a second about his stitches, the blonde growled as he kicked at the ottoman in frustration. He was instantly rewarded when a searing pain shot through his thigh as the stitches became strained.

 _'Pehaps when you stop acting like one.'_ Dobby thought bitterly to himself, instantly regretting such a thought. He wasn't supposed to think ill of his masters.

Once the pain had subsided, Draco snapped at Dobby to hurry up and bring him some more food. As the old man scurried to do so, Draco settled back into the settee, his mind wandering over the many things he planned on doing to that Granger bitch once he had his hands on her.

And his father had best not spoil it for him.

* * *

It was nearing 9 p.m. when Hermione made it over to the twins' shop after getting off work, figuring she could afford a few moments to stop by and check on Fred. Feeling the need to let him know she was not upset about what had happened between him and Oliver at the book store, she made her way up to the door and knocked hard enough to alert them to her arrival.

Fred opened the door and Hermione smiled brightly at him "Good evening, Fred." she greeted cheerfully, fully expecting a similar greeting, or maybe even a hug, but all she got was a shrug of his shoulders, and a muttered "Hey," as he turned to go back inside, leaving the door ajar for her.

For a moment, Hermione stood in the doorway,confused, as she watched Fred move to the stairs leading up from the shop to their flat. That had to have been one of the most unenthusiastic greetings she had ever received from one of the twins.

"How are you feeling this evening, Fred?" Hermione inquired as she followed him up the stairs, hoping to open up the communication flow between them. Her attempt failed though, as all she received was a shrug of the shoulders and a grunt in return.

Once they made it to the top landing, Fred opened the door leading to their apartment, once again not bothering to invite her in or acknowledge her in anyway really. He went over to the chair positioned opposite the couch and slumped down into it. Hermione was left to stand near the doorway, for the first time in her life feeling like an unwelcome visitor in her own best friends' home.

"So, where's George?" she asked, growing uneasy. Her chest felt like it was clenching tighter the more Fred ignored her. A yearning to have him speak to her, to just _**look**_ at her, was growing more and more with each passing second.

Fred heaved a sigh, as if having to put effort into actually responding."He's in the shower. Should be out soon." his reply was short and bittersweet, and it tore at Hermione's heart a little bit more.

"Oh," Hermione whispered faintly.

Just as the silence was becoming nearly too uncomfortable to bear, the bathroom door opened and out stepped George. He was dressed in a pair of sleep pants, but no shirt, his hair still slightly wet from his shower. At any other time, Hermione would have happily taken the chance afforded her to admire the well toned abs and broad, freckled shoulders that were now on display, but Fred's odd behavior was distracting her from doing so.

"Kit!" George's greeting to her was as vastly different from Fred's earlier greeting as was Summer to Winter.

Where Fred's had been awkward and unbelievably cold, George's was comfortable and glowing. Her bright smile returned under the warmth of that one simple word from him.

"Hi, George," she greeted feebly. "I just thought I'd pop around to say hello and to check on Fred."

She glanced over at the other twin just in time to catch his eyes dart in her direction. Their gazes locked long enough for her to recognize the soft look in them, before they hardened once again, as if he were forcing himself to before he looked away.

From the moment he had opened the door, Fred had to struggle to keep the happiness that always filled him when in Hermione's presence at bay. If he was going to distance himself from her in order to make sure the bond wasn't the deciding factor in his affections toward Hermione, then he had to do it now. Forcing a short greeting out instead of wrapping her in a welcoming embrace like he really wanted ( _'That's the bond's doing,'_ he insisted internally) he turned and led her up to the flat.

He could tell she was confused by his stand-offishness, and for a brief moment he felt ashamed. Collapsing into a chair, he tried to take on an air of casualness, but really an awkward tension was building the longer they didn't speak and was growing uncomfortable. When she asked of George's whereabouts, Fred had to bite his tongue to keep a teasing "Why worry about Georgie when you have the better looking twin at your disposal?" from escaping his lips. Instead, he kept it short. Simple. Easy.

And then the silence descended again. Just as it was nearing unbearable, George emerged from the bath. Fred watched as an exultant expression lit up his twin's face and couldn't stop the twinge of regret at not having allowed himself that emotion. He looked to Hermione and was nearly blown away by her beauty as she practically beamed at George. She had offered him that same expression, but he had been too focused on his plan to start weaning himself off of their connection, that he hadn't taken time to bask in it.

When she spoke his name, her gaze moved in his direction, their eyes locking and for a split moment his resolve faltered. No, he couldn't allow this stupid connection to cloud his mind. Not when it caused him to lose his grip on rationality and control to the extent of wanting to harm someone. With a bit of effort, he hardened his eyes and looked away.

Hermione felt as if she had been punched in the gut. Shaken by Fred's obviously not wanting her here, she began to stammer. "But I realize now how late it is, and obviously Fred's okay, so I'm just going to go."

Though George protested, Fred did not.

With stinging tears threatening to fall, Hermione turned and fled.

* * *

tbc...

* * *

 **A/N:** Can I just say how extremely difficult writing angst is for me? I hate reading it, the only way I do is when I am certain there is a happy ending to counteract all the emotional pain I've subjected myself to while reading the angsty bits. I try to avoid reading outright angst so writing it is going to be a struggle. There will be a happy ending though, just so you know. ^_^


	13. Chapter 13

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 13 -**

* * *

George stared in shock at the empty space Hermione had just been standing in before she had turned around and practically ran out of their flat. Despite his cry for her not to leave, she had, and now George was at a loss of what to think. He had no idea what had caused her to leave so hastily, that is, until he glanced over and caught the flickering look of guilt on Fred's face. A sinking feeling began to form in the pit of his stomach as he turned to face his brother.

"What did you do," he growled accusingly at his twin.

Fred didn't know what to say. He _**hated**_ the shame that flooded him as he recalled the hurt look on Hermione's face before she had turned and fled from them. From him.

 _'That's because it_ _ **is**_ _your fault,'_ a voice seemed to drift from the back of his mind, and the shame deepened.

"Fred!" George snapped when he failed to respond. Reaching out and grasped his brother by the front of his shirt, George hoisted him roughly from his chair. Drawing nose to nose with his twin, George said once more through bared teeth. "What. Did. You. Do?"

Fred let out a huff. "I might... not have been as welcoming as I could have been." he admitted reluctantly.

"What?" George's eyes widened. "Why would you do that, Fred? Why?"

Fred had been hoping George wouldn't ask him for a reason, because honestly, at the moment, he didn't have one.

"I told you, Georgie. It's something I feel I need to do. I don't want to lose control again." he said in an attempt to justify his actions. "I think it all stems from that bond, and I'm going to do something about it." he stared down at the floor, unable to meet his twin's gaze.

George snorted as he thrust Fred away from him in disgust. Fred collapsed back into his chair to sulk, something neither twin had ever done before. George turned around and marched to his bedroom door, turning to glare at Fred just long enough to throw out one retort.

"First thing in the morning," he muttered lowly. "Before we do _**anything**_ \- even open the shop - you are calling her and apologize. Because if you don't, so help me Gred, I will _**not**_ hesitate in punching you into the next millenia."

With that, George stormed into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Once inside his room, George collapsed against it, raking a hand frustratedly through his hair before going to sit down heavily on his bed. He could see where Fred was coming from, he really could. But did he _**have**_ to hurt Hermione in the process? George would be having none of that. Yes, he would be supportive of his twin, but he would also protect Hermione from any emotional harm that Fred's decision could potentially cause her.

* * *

After his twin's heated departure, Fred sat in silence, slowly going over everything in his mind. The reasons he had given himself to vindicate estranging himself from his feelings for Hermione - for there were feelings present - sounded weak at best. Sure, they weren't the soundest reasons in the world, but damn it, he had nearly _**hurt**_ someone! He'd literally saw red the moment he had witnessed Oliver Wood embracing and kissing Hermione, and had acted irrationally. To him, that did not sound like a normal reaction and that was the key word here: Normal.

It was what he wanted, what he _**needed**_ and if George couldn't see that, well then..

Fred didn't know why, but he knew he couldn't stop, now that he'd started on this path. So sure, he would apologize to her in the morning. But there would be no more hugs. No more flirting. No more thinking about kissing her, no matter how much the memory of when he had still haunted his dreams. He would just have to deal with it, or maybe find someone else that could help to replace that memory with another one.

One that wasn't tied to that loathsome bond.

* * *

Hermione awoke to the sound of her phone ringing. Shifting amidst her covers, she glanced to her right, taking in the small alarm clock on the bedside table.

6:45 a.m. it read.

Groaning, she pushed up onto one elbow and grabbed the phone from where it lay beside the lamp. She took one look at the name and scowled, not hesitating to press the red reject button before tossing the cell back onto the table. With a miserable moan, she buried her face into her pillow.

* * *

Fred pulled the phone away from his ear and glared at it, noting that the call had been rejected. He glanced at his brother who was looking at him from his position in the doorway.

"She didn't accept the call," he informed George with a shrug, to which the older twin's posture stiffened.

"You don't say!" came the sarcastic reply. "I don't bloody well blame her, Fred, and don't even think about setting that phone down. Call her again." George demanded.

"And if she rejects it again?" Fred grumbled, though he was already hitting the redial icon.

"You keep calling. You call until she either accepts or blocks the number. Then we'll just have to go over." George glared at Fred. "You're going to fix this-"

"-no matter how long it takes." Fred finished the sentence begrudgingly.

* * *

It took three times before Hermione finally gave up and answered the call. She may have been extremely hurt by Fred's attitude last night, confused by what she could have done wrong to make him act the way he had, but she did want to make up with him. She hadn't slept very well last night due to her distress and it showed.

"What," she tried to make her voice sound irritated, but unfortunately it came out sounding more forlorn than anything.

"Look, Hermione, I'm sorry about last night. I was in a bit of a mood." Fred's clipped voice came quickly from the other end of the line. He sounded like he wanted to get everything out at one time. "So, I apologize if I was a bit on the non-talkative side when you stopped by." Hermione started to accept the apology but Fred suddenly said: "Here's George." and her heart dropped. Was that all he wanted to say to her?

George glared at his brother's retreating back as Fred went back into his bedroom. Heaving a sigh, George put the phone to his ear and made his voice take on a cheery tone, which wasn't too hard as it _**was**_ Hermione he was speaking to. "Morning, my Kit. Sorry we called so early, but Fred just simply _**had**_ to tell you how sorry he was. Had to practically hog tie him to keep him from coming right over this morning instead of simply calling." he tried to joke.

"Of course you did." Hermione chuckled, though it held no humor. "I could tell by the sound of his voice how sincere he was." she grew serious as she spoke her next words. "What's going on, George? Have I upset Fred in some way?"

George sighed. How should he answer that? If he told her the truth, then it would hurt her feelings even worse. If he lied to her and when she found out the truth - and he knew she would eventually - then she would be angry with both of them for not telling her what was going on in the first place.

"Well, it's not really directed at you per-say. Fred's just having some horrendous mood swings." he finally settled on saying, hoping it would be enough of an explanation.

Hermione frowned, a bit uncertain if she should leave it at that or not. But it really wasn't her place to demand answers from Fred, especially if he didn't seem willing to give them. George seemed to not have any himself, so she tried to avert her mind away from Fred Weasley and his strange behavior.

"If you say so," she finally replied.

"Hey, I have an idea!" George's voice brightened. "Why don't you meet us at the Burrow this evening for dinner?"

Hermione hesitated. "I'm not sure, George. I get the feeling your mother doesn't like me very much." she replied.

"Nonesense! Mum loves everybody!" George assured. "You just don't come 'round that often for dinners. Though to be fair, since we opened our shop, me and Fred don't stop by as often as we should."

"Fred and I," Hermione habitually corrected him, then gave a resigned sigh. "Okay, I'll meet you at the Burrow after work. Happy?"

"Extremely." Geroge grinned on his end of the line. "It'll be fun. You and Fred can make up properly afterwards." he promised before bidding her a good day at work.

"Same to you, George. See you around eight tonight." Hermione replied, hanging up feeling a bit better than she had last night.

She glanced at the clock once more, seeing it was almost time for her alarm to sound, so she rose from the bed and began to dress for work.

* * *

Hermione arrived outside the Burrow that evening just in time to see Fred and George getting out of the Ford Anglia. She pulled her car up beside theirs and, putting it into gear, killed the engine before hopping out herself. George was grinning as he drew her into a warm hug. She melted into his arms, as she always seemed to do, but noticed that Fred had yet to move from where he stood beside the vehicles. She sighed, realizing that whatever was causing him to hold back from being the way he usually was with her was still in effect.

Withdrawing from George's embrace, Hermione went over to Fred and wrapped her arms around him in a hug of her own. "Good evening, Fred." she greeted him, not letting go until she felt his arms eventually slip around her shoulders and give a slight squeeze. It wasn't the same though, it wasn't an embrace that made her feel safe and secure. It was lacking, and that made Hermione even more depressed.

Releasing her hold on him, Hermione turned back to George who was looking at Fred intensely. He shook his head slightly, before turning his attention back to her. "How about we get inside before everything's gone, then?" he teased, gesturing for her to go ahead of them as the trio made their way to the brothers' childhood home.

Fred entered the Burrow just ahead of George and Hermione. He was still trying to distance himself from the girl but also trying do it in a way that George wouldn't want to kill him over. It was hard though, he had wanted to join in the hug George had initiated out front so badly, he'd had to fight to keep himself in place. The urge to touch her, any part of her, was strong and again he blamed the bond. It couldn't be genuine feelings, he tried assuring himself.

And then she had hugged him and he'd slipped a little. He had intended not to reciprocate the embrace at all, but his arms had wound around her shoulders as if of their own accord. At least he had managed to not draw her into a full on embrace. That would have been the opposite of what he was meaning to do.

For as long as Fred and George could remember, which was quite early on actually, it seemed as if the bustling of the Burrow never slowed down. With a family of nine living in the house, it was never quiet while growing up. Then, when they all started to bring girlfriends - or in their sister Ginny's case boyfriends - home, it became even more hectic.

"Oh, Fred, George, it's so good to see you boys!" Molly gushed as she bustled into the hallway.

"Hello, mum." the twins greeted as they were engulfed in a mother sized bear hug.

Releasing her sons, the plump woman's gaze landed on their female companion, her warm smile waning slightly as her eyes turned a bit colder. Molly didn't hate Hermione, per se, but she had always thought that the relationship between the young brunette and her twin sons was a bit odd. It had developed all of a sudden, out of the blue it seemed, and was so tight knit that Molly had been wary of the girl ever since.

"Hello, Hermione, dear." the Weasley matriarch greeted before turning and heading back into the kitchen.

Hermione shifted a bit uncomfortably at the cool dismissal until George slipped an arm around her shoulders. He hesitated a moment, as if he expected Fred to join in their little huddle, but when he didn't the older twin gave her a squeeze.

"Come on, then, Kit." he grinned at her as he escorted her into the dining room, Fred following casually behind them.

They entered the room to find people were already sitting around the table. Their father, Arthur Weasley was seated at the head, with Ron on his right side and Percy, the third oldest Weasley son to his left. Beside Percy sat, Harry Potter, Ron's best friend and boyfriend to the twins' sister Ginny, who was the youngest of all the siblings. The vivacious red head was busy flirting shamelessly with the black haired young man. Across from Ginny, seated beside Ron was Padma Patil, Ron's girlfriend of two years. Molly had taken her seat at the opposite end of the table from her husband, with her oldest son William, Bill to most people, on her left, and Bill's french wife, Fleur, on her right.

The twins noticed that their brother Charlie was missing, which wasn't strange. The second oldest Weasley son had a job with a company that had him travelling to various exotic places to track down endangered species for tagging.

Despite Charlie's absence and Hermione being there, George couldn't help but notice a couple extra places were set at the table. "Who else is coming, mum?" he asked curiously, but his question was answered not by his mother, but by the appearance of two women emerging from the kitchen. Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet had been school mates in the same year as the twins. They had also been the twins' girlfriends at one point. The women entered the dining room, chatting with one another quietly until they both looked up and noticed the new arrivals.

Fred's eyes widened when he saw Angelina enter the room. "Angie!" he exclaimed before rushing over to her and engulfing her in a hug.

"Well, that's quite a welcome!" the dark skinned beauty laughed as she returned the embrace.

Fred released Angelina and turned, his hand going to the small of her back as he lead her over to the table. He pulled a chair beside Padma out for her and once she had sat down, took the chair beside hers. Never once did he look in George's and Hermione's direction.

Hermione watched as Fred openly (and happily) greeted his old girlfriend. It was a much warmer reception than she had gotten from him the past couple days. She tried to tell herself that it didn't bother her, that it didn't hurt, but it did. So very much.

As she stood there, she felt a warm hand settle at her lower back. Turning, she saw George smiling down at her and the loving look in his eyes was enough to keep the threatening tears at bay.

"Why don't we have a seat, love." he whispered, leading her over to the table as Fred had done for Angelina.

Pulling the chair beside Harry out, he allowed Hermione to get settled before taking the one beside her. George hadn't thought about the open chair left on the other side of him until he sensed someone sit down in it. Glancing over, he inwardly groaned when he saw Alicia's smiling face.

"Long time, no see, George." the black haired woman practically purred at him.

"Hello, Alicia," George replied tightly, not wanting to encourage her. He knew how Alicia loved to flirt. He began to fill his plate with the various food that his mother had made, but his ex must not have taken the hint as she began chatting away at him.

Everyone else had fallen into casual conversation as they ate. Fred was busy talking to Angelina, leaning in close to whisper to her every once in a while, never once looking across the table.

The dinner progressed at an agonizingly slow pace. Hermione grew tenser every time Angelina laughed at something Fred said or whenever Alicia would touch George in a feigned casual way.

Suddenly, Ron stood up from his chair, drawing everyone's attention as he cleared his throat before addressing everyone. "I'd like to make an announcement." he said in a voice tinged with pride. "Before we came over tonight, I asked Padma to marry me." he stated, turning to the blushing woman at his side. "And she accepted."

His news was met with cries of congratulations from his father and brothers and tears of joy on Mrs. Weasley's part.

Eventually the meal wound down and Mr. Weasley excused himself along with Bill and Percy as they went into the living room to continue talks of politics and the like.

Molly rose from the table, followed by Fleur who began to help the older woman gather dishes. Padma and Ron left to celebrate their new engagement alone. Angelina and Alicia also rose to help with dishes, but Molly waved them off cheerfully, telling the girls to catch up more with the twins, her suggestion blatantly excluding Hermione.

"Well, as much as I would love to stay, I have practice early tomorrow morning." Angelina replied. She was the captain of a semi-major female Rugby team, which she loved to tell any and all who would listen.

"Aw, Angie," Alicia frowned, "I was wanting to hang around a bit, you know, catch up with George and all..."

"Actually, we were just about-" George began, but Fred cut him off abruptly.

"I can give you a ride home, if you like, Ange." he offered. "I'm sure Alicia wouldn't mind giving Georgie here a ride home."

"I wouldn't mind at all." Alicia said even as George shot Fred a veiled look of disapproval.

"As much as I appreciate the offer, 'Leesh, I think Hermione's house is in the same direction as our flat." George turned to look at the dark haired woman, whose smile fell from her lips at his subtle rejection. "What do you say, Hermione, give a guy a lift home?"

Hermione had been staring at Fred, who, though looking in her direction, seemed busy studying the wall behind her. The fact that he even refused to look her in the eye hurt terribly. They had always looked into each other's eyes before. The mention of her name, however, had her eyes shooting over to George's position where she noted the pleading look on the older twin's face.

"Of course, I will, George. You know you don't need to ask." she assured him, earning herself a glare from Alicia, but she ignored it.

They parted ways in the front yard of the Burrow, Alicia in a bit of a snit at having been denied alone time with George. Hermione and George piled into her car, not leaving just yet. Instead, they watched as the light blue Ford Anglia pulled out onto the road, carrying Fred and Angelina away from the house.

From his position in the passenger seat, George looked at Hermione from the corner of his eye. Her hands were rested atop the steering wheel, fingers clenched firmly around it. His gaze trailed up her arm to her face, noting the clenched jaw as well. Exhaling a sigh, he shifted in his seat to face her.

"Kit, I know Fred's behavior has been less than stellar the last couple of days," George spoke softly. Hermione's grip didn't lessen as he continued. "He's kinda confused himself, I think, since that episode with Wood at the book shop. He's worried about how he reacted to the situation and felt he needed to distance himself a bit to get a grip on his emotions. To be honest, I agree with him, although I don't like the way he's going about it."

Reaching out, George grasped the hand closest to him, prising it from the wheel in order to stroke it affectionately with his own. The action seemed to have the desired effect, causing Hermione's other hand to lose its tension. Her face relaxed as well, though she still looked like she wanted to cry, as she turned to look at him.

"I understand," she replied, giving him a weak smile. "I may not like it either, but, if it helps him then I'll deal with it." she tried to laugh, as she added. "It's not like I have a claim on either of you after all."

"Don't be so sure about that..." he murmured, too low for her to actually hear the confession. "I'm sure he'll come around. We'll just give him time, yeah?"

Hermione nodded, a hopeful glint forming in her eyes. "Yeah," she replied.

Giving her hand one last reassuring squeeze, he released it in order to turn around and begin to buckle his seatbelt. "Well, what are we waiting for, love? I don't know about you, but I hear my bed calling me."

Hermione laughed, as she cranked the car.

* * *

Angelina let out a tinkling laugh as she was escorted to her front door by Fred.

"Thank you for the ride, Freddie. I really appreciate it." she attempted a coy look as she turned to the handsome red head, making sure to put an extra bit of husk into her tone she leaned in close, but was disappointed when Fred leaned slightly away from her instead.

"It was no problem at all, Ange." Fred replied.

When they had arrived at the Burrow and he'd seen Angelina emerge from the kitchen with Alicia, his heart had skipped a beat. One word had formed in his mind then: Distraction. A perfect way to distance himself from his out of control emotions when it came to Hermione. This had been what caused him to make his way over and take a seat beside the one time love of his life.

Despite the plan, he found himself having to force himself to stay engaged in conversation, his attention wanting to drift towards the pretty brunette sitting morosely across the table. It was frustrating because he had been sure that he was once in love with Angelina, had yearned to tell her those three little words whilst in school. But then she'd betrayed him. But he'd still cared for her long afterwards, surely it wouldn't be too hard to rekindle the flame, right?

But as much as he tried, something inside him resisted. It had to be the bond. As long as Hermione was sitting across the table from him, he could not concentrate on Angelina. If he could only get her alone for a bit...

Then Ange had mentioned having to go home early and he'd pounced on the chance to drive her. The mantra 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind' repeated in his brain as he drove away from the Burrow.

"Oh, why did we ever break up?" Angelina asked wistfully, dragging Fred from his musings to find she had pressed closer to him.

Fred snorted. "You know exactly why. Oliver Wood." he reminded her.

"Freddie, it happened almost five years ago. I made a mistake, okay? A mistake that I've regretted every day since." The pleading in Angelina's voice caused a tiny part of Fred's resistance to crumble. As if sensing this, the lithe beauty pressed herself closer, wrapping her arms around his neck as she practically melded her soft curves to the hard planes of his chest. His breath hitched at the contact. "Please, it's been so long. Remember how _**good**_ it was between us? How happy we were. Don't you want it to be like that again?"

Fred shivered when her lips caressed the shell of his ear and whispered the words he had wanted to say to her so long ago. "I love you, Freddie."

She pulled back in order to look into his eyes, and Fred allowed himself to become lost in her. Straying from his true path, Fred let out a shuddering breath as he leaned down and captured Angelina' s lips with his own.

The kiss lasted for only a moment, Fred breaking it just as quickly as he'd initiated it, unable to stop himself from comparing how little passion this kiss held when compared to the one he'd shared with Hermione.

"I'd best go," he stated quickly, drawing away and turning to avoid seeing the look of disappointment in Angelina's eyes. "I'll see you around, Ange." he called over his shoulder and quickly walked away.

* * *

Meanwhile, across town, Hermione had just waved goodbye to George as he entered the shop. A sharp pain took her by surprise, causing her to gasp, bringing a hand up to rub soothingly at her chest. She panicked for a moment, but when the pain finally began to ease, she sighed in relief.

'That was strange,' she thought to herself, wondering if she should go to the doctor or something. She waited a moment, to see if it happened again, and when it didn't she decided it was probably just due to the stress she'd allowed Fred's behavior to put on her.

She cast one last look at the joke shop, and the flat above, before pulling out of the driveway and heading home.

* * *

tbc...


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:** Buckle up guys, we're in for a bumpy ride this chapter. Also, this is the chapter that earns this fic its M rating.

* * *

 **Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 14 -**

* * *

The call came on Saturday morning, around nine, and Fred being the first to awaken that morning was the one to answer.

"Hello?" he mumbled into the phone, swiping one hand through his touseled red locks.

The voice on the other end of the line answered with a pleasant tone and an introduction that had the red head shaking off the last vestiges of sleep in exchange for instant alertness.

"Good morning. This is Professor Minamino from the Tokyo University. I am returning the call from a Mr. George Weasley. Are you, perhaps, he?" the voice asked.

In a heartbeat, Fred was in George's room, frantically shaking his twin's shoulder to wake him. When George rolled over with a glare on his face, Fred spoke into the phone with emphasis.

"Oh, yes, Mr. Minamino!" Fred gave George a pointed look. George's eyes widened, bolting to an upright position in the bed and all but tackling his brother as he grabbed the phone.

"Mr. Minamino!" George exclaimed as Fred pushed him away before sitting beside his brother on the bed. "George Weasley here, so glad to hear back from you so soon!"

"I do apologize for calling so early," the polite voice spoke. "The time difference and all."

"Oh, no, no it's fine. Thank you so much for getting back to us. No worries about the time difference." George said eagerly.

"Yes, well, considering the topic of the message you left, I felt it imperative that I contact you." the voice replied. "I was quite surprised when you mentioned Akio and my book. So how may I help you, Mr. Weasley?"

For a moment, George's mind went blank. All of his and Fred's life, they'd had questions about themselves. What were they exactly? How could they do the things they could? And most importantly: were there others like them out there somewhere?

And here he was, on the phone with someone who could very well be the only person who could give them answers... and he was bloody well speechless!

George finally found his voice when Fred elbowed him non-too-gently in the ribs. Shooting his brother a death glare, he replied. "I don't really know where to begin, Mr. Minamino. I mean, there are so many questions that I feel you can answer for myself and my twin, but it's a bit of a private matter. To be honest, it would be much easier if there was a way we could speak face to face."

"I understand," the professor's voice replied through the phone. "Unfortunately, we're in the middle of semester, so I would be unable to come to you."

"No problem, Mr. Minamino," George assured. "Me and Fred own our own business and can take off any time we like. We can make arrangements and be there no later than the middle of this week. How's that sound?"

"Splendid, I shall set aside time in my schedule that day for you and your brother. Until then, Mr. Weasley." the professor ended the conversation and disconnected the call, leaving George and Fred to stare at each other in excitement.

The rest of the morning was spent deciding on making arrangements for their trip. They decided on simply closing the shop up for the duration as opposed to finding someone to mind it since they were unsure of how long they would be gone. They also booked airplane tickets to Japan as well as accomodations.

By one, they were set and both boys were grinning ear to ear in happiness. Finally, they were going to get answers. Then a thought occured to George.

Fred felt an uneasiness settle over his twin. Turning, he cast a questioning glance as he asked: "Something wrong, Georgie?"

George returned Fred's look. "You tell me, Freddie." he muttered. "We're finally going to get answers to the mystery of our lives. Remember one of the reasons we wanted them was because of Kit. So we could be open and honest about ourselves. After last night though, I'm wondering if you're even interested in her at all anymore."

'Of course I'm still interested,' was poised to come from his mouth, but instead he bit his tongue and shrugged.

George frowned. "So, what? You're going to take back up with Ange, just like that?"

"George, I told you I don't know right now." Fred sighed. "I do still care about her, okay, but it's dangerous for us to be like that."

"Says you," George shot back. "It was only one time, Fred. You can't be sure it'll happen again."

"Can you be certain that it won't?" Fred countered.

George perced his lips together when he was unable to give Fred his assurance, as much as he may have wanted to.

I'm sorry, George, but-"

Whatever Fred was going to say was cut off by the sound of someone knocking at the shop's front door.

"I'll get it." George sighed, moving past Fred and towards the door.

Thinking it might be Hermione and not wanting to have to face her at the moment, Fred remained in the flat. A few moment's later, George reappeared with a scowl on his face and a brightly smiling Angelina Johnson behind him.

"Ange," Fred sounded surprised, "What are you doing here?"

Angelina shook her head. "Funny, you're brother asked me the same thing." she said, amused. "I came to see you, silly. After our parting moment last night, I thought you'd be a _**bit**_ happier to see me."

Fred inwardly cringed as George shot him a murderous look.

Despite his twin's disapproving glare, Fred knew he had started something when he'd kissed the dark haired woman last night and as much as the niggling feeling in his gut seemed to protest it, he would carry on and see where it led. Forcing a smile on his lips, Fred stepped toward Angelina and swept her into a hug. "Forgive me, Angie. How are you?"

"I'm glorious," she replied, squeezing him tightly before withdrawing to look up at him. "I was actually wondering if you were up for a bit of an adventure today? Got tickets to the local Rugby match, Gryffindor Lions vs Hufflepuff Badgers. What do you say?"

George rolled his eyes. Angelina knew of the twins' love of sports, especially Fred. He had been proud of his position on the Hogwarts Rugby team and had seldom missed a match once they'd left school.

Fred's smile grew genuine. "That sounds great, Ange. Just give me a bit to get dressed." he said, heading towards his bedroom.

The moment Fred shut his bedroom door, Angelina rounded on George. "What exactly is your problem, hm, George?" she groused, pointing a well manacured finger toward the red head. Before George could ask what she was on about, she continued. "I can tell you're not happy with Fred and I getting back together, which we will by the way, if I have anything to say about it. So you'd best learn to accept it. And if you can't accept it, " here she grinned and it seemed a bit malicious to George, before she continued. "Then I suppose you'll just have to fake it, won't you."

George felt the anger well up inside of him, but before he could say anything back to the spiteful witch in front of him, Fred came bounding back into the room. From the worried expression his twin wore, George could tell that he had felt the volatile emotions rolling off of him and that was the reason for his hasty return.

"Well, I'm ready when you are, Ange." Fred hurriedly made his way to the flat's door, holding it open in order to allow her to exit before him. In his mind, he shot George a mental inquiry. _'What the hell, Georgie?'_

George ground his teeth together to keep himself from vocally replying to his twin. _'S'nothing, Freddie. Enjoy your game. We'll talk when you get back.'_

Fred hesitated a moment. The turmoil he felt coming off of his twin was troubling to him. He really didn't want to leave without knowing what had upset George so much, however, Angelina speaking up from behind him drew his attention back to her.

"Freddie," she whined. "We're going to miss the opening kick off if we don't go now."

"Coming." Fred uttered, casting one last look at George over his shoulder. His twin had his back to him, one hand holding the cell phone to his ear. Giving a sigh, Fred exited, shutting the door behind him.

The sound of the flat's door shutting was drowned out for George by the ringing of his cell phone as he waited for Hermione to pick up. He wanted, no _**needed**_ to hear her voice. Upon the fifth chime, he was rewarded by the soothing sound as she greeted him.

"Hello, George," she spoke, the words warming his heart.

"Hey, gorgeous," he responded, his lips quirking upwards. "How'd you know it was me and not Fred?" he asked without thinking.

"Well, it kind of had to be you, didn't it?" Her voice lost a bit of its cheeriness and instantly George regretted asking his question. "I mean, Fred's not really interested in talking to me much lately."

George winced, feeling the need to apologize once again for his twin's idiocy, but Hermione went on before he could say anything. "But it's okay. I'm sure once he's sorted himself, he'll come around."

George grinned. That was his Kit, always optimistic.

"It just so happens that Fred's gone out for the evening." he said, hoping Hermione wouldn't ask where or with whom his twin had gone. "And I was just wondering if you'd like to come over. You know, hang out a bit with the more polite and charming twin."

"Oh, I'm really sorry, George." Hermione replied, and George's heart dropped. "I can't come over today. I'm at my parent's house, you see." she admitted.

She'd actually went to her parents' house last night, right after she'd dropped George off and had experienced that brief pain in her chest. Although it had passed fairly quickly, it had scared her a bit and the need to see her mum had flooded her so she'd gone over. Her parents had immediately swept her into hugs and kisses and when she'd told them she wasn't feeling all too well, they had insisted she stay until she had to go back to work on Monday morning.

"I see," George swallowed the disappointment that was forming in his throat. "Well, maybe I'll stop by the shop on Monday during lunch. How's that sound?"

Hermione smiled. "That sounds nice, George. I'll be looking forward to it."

Silence fell between them for a moment, neither really wanting to hang up. Finally, Hermione took the initiative and ended the call by saying: "I've got to go help mum with the house cleaning. I'll see you Monday."

"See you Monday. Bye, Kit." George said, smiling tightly.

"Goodbye, George." Hermione said softly.

They hung up.

* * *

When the door of the flat opened some time later, George looked up from where he was sprawled upon the sofa to see Fred enter, a pleased smile - as well as a smear of bright red lipstick - on his face.

"Enjoy yourself, did you?" George questioned as he threw the remote lightly onto the spot beside him.

"I did." Fred responded, a frown taking over as he noticed the grim look in his brother's eyes.

"What did you two get up to? The game ended hours ago." George asked, eyeing the colorful evidence on Fred's face, He tried to pass it off as idle chatter, but couldn't quite managed to mask the disapproval in his voice.

A dark look entered Fred's eyes. "We went for dinner, not that it's any of your business, mind. You're my brother, not my dad, George. I'm a grown man and I don't need to answer to anyone, especially you." Fred seethed at him.

The two brothers stared each other down, the tenseness growing until finally George sighed, backing down. He knew that, as of late, Fred was having a bit of a temperament problem. One that would rival that of their younger brother in his teen years, and he didn't want to incite a fight. Throwing his hands up in surrender, George stood up.

"Look, I'm not trying to badger you, Fred. I just want to know that you're thinking with your brain and not some notion that you _**have**_ to distance yourself from Hermione." he urged. "Besides, you're relationship with Angelina didn't end on the best of terms last time. You sure you're up for that again?"

Fred looked at him with a mix of anger and bewilderment on his face.

"That was years ago, Forge and we've both matured since then. Besides, she vowed it was a mistake."

"So it's settled, then, you're back together?"

"Yes, we are." Fred replied, much to George's dismay. "Do you have an issue with it? I would have hoped that you would've been more supportive." Fred felt a pain in his heart as he said the words.

"I want to be supportive," George stated. "But I just feel like you're making a huge mistake. I think you feel it too, but you're just too scared to admit it and what it means."

Fred's jaw clenched. "It means nothing because I'm not making a mistake, George. I'm finding out what I truly want." he growled.

"What you truly want?" George scoffed, "Hate to bring this up, Freddie, but I can sense what you're feeling and you've been feeling rather guilty as of late. Would you care to explain that?"

"It's nerves, not guilt." Fred insisted. "I haven't thought of being with anyone aside from Hermione in years. I'm just nervous that I'll mess it up."

"You are messing it up!" George yelled in frustration. Not able to stand the sight of his twin anymore, George whirled around and stalked to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Fred stared at the door, a fresh wave of guilt and anger hitting him. How had things become so warped?

* * *

Monday came and Fred and George still hadn't spoken since their argument. They opened their shop to the public, forcing cheery smiles as they attended to their customers. When lunch time came, George found Fred eating a sandwich in the back room.

"There you are," George muttered. "I'm going to go see Hermione. You're in charge." Without giving him a chance to speak, George turned on his heel and left the store, leaving a stunned Fred behind.

Fred watched his twin exit. He quietly finished his sandwich and began tidying up the store room. He lost track of time as he took stock of products before the sound of someone knocking drew his attention back to where Angelina now stood in the doorway.

"I didn't see George anywhere in the store, does this mean that we're alone?" she asked not so innocently.

"I suppose it does," Fred replied, turning just as her hand slid up his chest and around behind his neck.

"Good," she said while playing with hair at the nape of his neck. "Why don't you close up shop and meet me upstairs?"

She kissed his lips and let go of him. She swayed her hips with more force than usual and disappeared up the steps. Fred felt his stomach tighten in knots. Whether is was from nerves, guilt, or excitement, he wasn't sure. Licking his lips, Fred began locking up the shop, making sure to place the 'Out to Lunch' sign on the door.

* * *

George had only been at the book shop a few moments when it happened.

Hermione had been walking over to retrieve a book from a nearby bookshelf when suddenly she stumbled. A wave of dizziness overwhelmed her, and if not for George's quick reflexes she'd have surely collapsed to the floor. Instead, she found herself caught up in the red head's arms, steadying her. With his arms still wrapped around her waist, George looked down at her in concern.

"Are you alright, love? That was quite the stumble. Looked like you were about to pass out."

Hermione looked dazed and George's concern for her well-being momentarily masked the emotion that was trickling through the bond from Fred's end. When he finally sensed it, he was confused as to why his twin would be feeling _**that**_ particular emotion right then, when he was supposed to be minding the store.

Hermione attempted to respond to George's question, when suddenly it was like the room swirled around the her and she instinctively grasped onto George's shirt.

"Georgie, I don't feel so good." she whispered, then cried out in pain as she felt something barely tangible snap inside of her. She broke down in a sharp sob, as she felt as if a piece of her heart had broken into a million tiny pieces, and she didn't even know why.

When she woke up, she felt strong arms encasing her body. She looked up to see George who was cradling her to him. The fear in his eyes made her heart hurt more than it already did. She slowly sat up turning to face the ginger. "I'm alright, George."

"Alright?" George scoffed. "Like hell you're alright. Hermione, love, you passed out."

"I know," she said softly. "But I'm okay now."

"Have you been sick? Is it the flu or something?"

"I don't know, honestly." She placed a hand to her head feeling another wave of dizziness was over her.

"I think you should go see a doctor." he suggested.

"That's exactly what mum said." Hermione huffed, shaking her head, "No, I'm sure it will pass soon. It's probably just a bug I've caught. I'll be better in a few days."

George looked at her, unconvinced, but didn't want to press the issue. Especially since she was in such a fragile state.

With a bit of reluctance, George released his hold on Hermione when she assured him she could stand on her own. It seemed the spell had once again passed, for she felt fine, save for the dull ache in her chest. It didn't hurt, simply made itself known, and so she waved it off as nothing serious.

When a customer entered the shop, Hermione laid a hand on George's arm. "I really need to get back to work, and I'm sure you do as well."

A little disappointed, he said, "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

Giving her one last look of concern, he finally left the shop when she gave him a small wave from behind the counter. It wasn't until he'd made it back to work that he realized he'd forgotten to tell her about their upcoming trip, one of the reasons he'd went over in the first place.

George noticed that there was an "Out to Lunch" sign hung on the door. He thought it odd since he had left Fred to run the shop, not skive off. He was just reaching for the door handle when the door suddenly swung open. His eyes widened in shock when Angelina strolled out of his shop, sporting a cat that ate the canary grin on her lips. His frown became even more pronounced as he watched her.

"What are you doing here?" he questioned.

"I'm sure you could guess." she gave him a salacious wink and strolled away from the shop.

"FRED!" George bellowed as he stormed up the stairs to the flat above.

"Yes?" Fred asked quietly. He was sitting on the couch with his hands pressed to his knees.

George thankfully noted his twin was fully dressed, though his imagination was still running rampant with images of what Fred and Angelina may or may not have been up to only moments ago. "I just saw Angelina downstairs." he stated simply, giving Fred a pointed stare.

Fred sighed warily, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, 'of course you did,' under his breath. "And?" he asked.

" _ **And**_? And I saw Angelina downstairs just now. Mind explaining what the two of you were doing?"

"It's none of your business, George." Fred deflected.

He pushed himself off the couch and went into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. George wasn't going to let him off the hook so easily though and followed closely behind.

"None of my business?" he asked incredulously. "You were supposed to be running the shop. So yeah, I think it is my business since you lost us some money because of your escapade."

"Escapade?" Had Fred not been so upset at his brother's accusations, he would have laughed. "Fine, you want to know what happened? We snogged, we messed around for a bit, but it never went beyond that."

George studied his brother, "That's it?"

Fred chugged down the water and slammed the glass on the counter. "Yes, George, that's it."

George nodded, deciding to believe his brother. "You should be careful, Freddie, I don't trust her."

"Well, too bad. She's who I've chosen." Fred instantly regretted his words, as an instant surge of guilt and remorse flooded through his body, more powerful than what he has felt in the past.

George balled his hands into fists, "You know, Kit is sick."

Fred felt his heart stop, "Sick?" he asked. He couldn't help the worry that coated his voice.

"Just now, back at the book store, she fainted. Would've fallen out on the floor if I hadn't caught her." George continued. He could sense the worry building in his brother through the link and hoped that this would bring him around.

Fred wavered for a split second before stubbornly shaking his head, as if trying to clear his thoughts. "I hate to hear that," he finally said, almost coldly.

George's jaw dropped. "Seriously, Fred? Is that _**all**_ you have to say to that?"

"What do you want me to say, George?" Fred snorted, attempting to look nonchalant. "What can I say that will satisfy you?"

George simply stared at his twin. He yearned to say 'The truth, Fred.' but apparently, his brother was stubborn to admit that, even to himself. Instead, he ran his hand through his hair, sighing heavily. "I don't know, Fred. I don't know."

Fred's shoulders slumped. "Honestly, George, I'm okay with being with Ange again. So can't you just be happy for me?" he pleaded. "We shouldn't be at each others throats anyway, we should be ecstatic. In three days we're going to get the truth."

George wanted to push the matter, but in the end thought better of it. "Yeah, Freddie, I'll try."

"Thank you," his twin sighed, then fidgited before asking. "So... Kit's gonna be okay, right? She's gonna go to the doctor and get checked out, yeah?"

George rubbed his hand down his face. "No, she not."

"Why not?" Fred almost shouted, his worry choking him.

George hid the smile that threatened to break through at Fred's concern for Hermione. "Kit just said that she thinks it's a bug and that it'll pass."

"She needs to see a doctor, George." Fred argued.

George nodded in agreement. "I know, but we can't force her."

Fred growled. "Stubborn woman, always has been."

"Indeed she is, and and I reckon we wouldn't want her any other way. Right, Gred?" George teased, wondering how much of the affections his twin still held for Hermione he could draw out.

Fred smiled down at the ground, "Right. She wouldn't be Kit if she wasn't stubborn."

George chuckled. "Well, seeing as someone skived off work for a bit, I think I'd best go back downstairs and finish running the shop." he paused, instantly regretting his choice of words.

Fred's eyes clouded over as he suddenly remembered Angelina. "Right, then. I'll be down in a moment."

George nodded as he mentally kicked himself. One step forward, three steps back.

* * *

The next morning found Fred and George excitedly packing their bags for their trip. "How much clothing should I take, Georgie?" Fred asked, looking at the mess in his room.

George shouted from the next room, "I don't know, Freddie. Enough for a week? We can do laundry or buy new clothes if we need to."

They put everything together, pulling the bags into the front room near the door in preparation for Wednesday morning. Having closed the shop early to pack and finish up the final arrangements for their trip, George and Fred went over to Hermione's house. The only thing they hadn't done, was to let Hermione know that they would be going out of town for a few days.

"It's just a short business trip, Kit," George was saying as he followed Hermione into the living room. "Shouldn't be gone more than three or four days. A week tops. Right, Fred?" When he got no response, George turned around to discover that Fred had not followed him and Hermione in from the foyer. Backtracking, George found Fred still standing near the front door, wearing a thoughtful expression. "Freddie?"

Fred didn't respond at first, instead he was busy pondering the facts laid out before him. He and Angelina were together again. Happily, together, he told himself. It was only logical that he should be going to say goodbye to her, right? Why _**wouldn't**_ he want to go to say goodbye to his girlfriend before leaving on their trip? It was only natural, and that's what Fred wanted... Natural. Not something that was being forced onto him through some bond that had been forged without his consent. With his mind made up, Fred met George eyes.

"Hey, Georgie? Just meet me at the flat in the morning, alright? I've got something important I have to do."

"More important than saying goodbye to Hermione?" George asked in disbelief. His eyes told Fred that his twin knew exactly where, and to _**who**_ he was going.

Fred averted his gaze, ignoring his brother's question. Instead, he said, "Just meet me there, okay?" and walked out the door.

Before he was even to the car, Fred had the number dialed and the cell phone pressed to his ear. "Hey, Ange, would you mind coming over to the flat? I have something I need to tell you. Great, see you in a bit." he replied, all the while doing his best to ignore the steadily growing feeling of nausea in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

George stared at the door, his hands clenched into fists as his twin's parting words echoed in his mind. He nodded curtly to himself, his voice like arctic ice.

"Right..." he muttered to the shut door, before turning and walking back to the living room, where Hermione stood, looking like death warmed over. She had heard the whole by-play, and she was clearly suffering for it. "I'm sorry about him..." he whispered.

"It's-" she swallowed, attempting to relieve the tightness that had formed in her throat. "It's alright." she managed to say as she dropped her gaze down to stare at the floor. She didn't want George to see the tears that were threatening to form.

George dipped his fingertips into Hermione's hair, gently tugging on a wayward curl, and lifting her chin as he leaned in to kiss a teardrop away from the corner of her right eye.

"Hermione, it's okay to feel whatever you're feeling right now; you don't need to hide. Not from me. Not when you have my whole heart and soul." he whispered, pulling back in order to look into her eyes as he continued. "I was waiting out of respect for Fred to do this, but he's being an arsehole, so..." he swallowed hard. "I've loved you for years, Hermione and I just wanted to say that I'm yours, if you'll have me..." he rasped, his bright blue eyes gleaming with love.

Unable to speak for fear it would come out as a sob more than a word, Hermione nodded her acceptance of his love. Her eyes fluttered closed as George drew her into his embrace fully.

"You are so beautiful..." he whispered, as he brushed a calloused thumb over her bottom lip briefly, tracing it tenderly as if memorizing the feel of it before allowing the digit to drop. He captured her mouth with his own in a kiss of promise and devotion and love.

Hermione trembled at the soul-consuming kiss. She traced George's shoulders with her hands, before digging her fingertips into his bright red hair. Her lips brushed against his, over and over again, until they parted slightly allowing her tongue entrance.

Momentarily allowing her to explore the cavern of his mouth, George quickly took control of the kiss as his tongue began to explore. It swept inside the sweet recess of her mouth, before withdrawing to teasingly trace her lips. As she exhaled a breathy sigh, George drew her bottom lips between his own and nipped it gently with his teeth, before sucking away the slight sting. Hermione's moans were caught up with his own as the sounds of their surrender drifted up towards the heavens. He allowed the emotions to flow through the bond, unfiltered, toward his twin before he abruptly blocked their connection effectively cutting him out as Fred had done to him but days ago.

George shifted, slipping one arm beneath her knees in order to lift her into a bridal carry, not once releasing her from the passionate kiss. He carefully made his way up to the bedroom with his precious bundle, kicking the door closed behind him before proceeding to the bed and laying her gently upon the downy covers.

When Hermione's fingers began tugging insistently at his shirt, he pulled back just far enough to allow her to remove the garment. The fabric ruffled his hair even more, leaving him looking wild and untamable as he gazed down at her with unsurmountable passion. As he kneeled beside her, his large hands trailed along her body until they reached the hem of her blouse, nimble fingers slipping beneath the barrier to touch the silken flesh beneath.

Slowly, he drew the material up and over her head, splaying her bountiful curls in a dark halo that contrasted strikingly against the white of the sheets she lay upon. Tossing her top to the side, George gazed down hungrily at the feast he'd unveiled. Blazing blue eyes bled through with molten gold as they hungrily took in the slender arc of her neck and ample curves of her breasts. He grinned wickedly as he noticed her dusky, round nipples were already hardened in anticipation, her chest rising and falling with each panting breath.

"George, please," Hermione's back arched as she moaned his name, the action thrusting her breasts out in a gesture of offering.

Mindlessly, she reached out, capturing him as her hands slipped behind his neck in order to draw him down to her chest. He obeyed readily, his head dipping to take her into the heat of his mouth and began to suckle greedily. Hermione moaned deeply, a torturous pleasure surging through her from the point of contact with his talented mouth all the way down to her very core. She felt herself grow wet with desire and Hermione squirmed beneath him, eager to completely remove the rest of their clothing.

Sensing her impatience, George allowed his hands to roam aimlessly for a moment longer before giving her sides a gentle squeeze, then moved them with purpose to the top of her slacks. With deft fingers, he quickly released the fastener, allowing him to slide the garment down her hips and over her thighs. He reluctantly released her breast from his mouth, drawing back long enough to remove all remaining articles of clothes and shoes and tossing them all aside, along with his own.

The evidence of her arousal hit him fully then, the musky scent filling his nostrils and awakening something inside of him that had been previously slumbering. A soft growl escaped his throat as he crawled over her, covering her small body with his own lanky frame and retaking her mouth in a possessive kiss before moving down her body.

Hermione's hands trailed down the length of George's back, her nails digging in every once in a while as she relished the delights she was experiencing. She gasped as he slipped lower to settle his body between her legs, his shoulders effectively bracing her thighs apart and leaving her throbbing center open and vulnerable, a veritable feast for him to partake in.

And partake he did, his tongue laving the entire length of her core before dipping inside to taste her dripping sweet nectar. Hermione's eyes rolled back as her entire body arched beneath the onslaught of George's mouth, and when his teeth came into play, gently nipping at that tiny bundle of nerves just so, her cry of pleasure reverberated throughout the flat.

Her hands clutched desperately at his head, fingers tangling within the fiery locks as she writhed while riding out her orgasm.

Savoring the taste of her on his tongue, George licked his lips as he slowly crawled up her body, moving so that his hips now nestled firmly within the cradle of her legs. She felt the tip of his length nudge at her opening and Hermione's eyes fluttered open, having momentarily fallen closed, and she met his heated gaze. With a breathy sigh of his name, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and lifted her hips upward in invitation, one which George readily accepted.

Closing the last bit of distance between them, he felt his member become encased in her scorching heat. The tightness of her inner muscles gripped him firmly as she wrapped her legs around his waist, anchoring herself to him.

"Hermione," her name left George's throat in a growl as he buried his face in her neck and slowly began to move within her.

The sweet sensual sounds of pleasure and love drifted through the flat, like a heavenly choir. The high breathy tone of the petite brunette woman's ecstasy mixed with the low rasp of her lover's groans, as they joined their hearts, and soul in an ancient carnal ritual that was all about instinct, soft supple curves moving against sleek hard lines. Warm chocolate tresses tangled with flame red hair, as hands and lips were frantically caressing skin.

Hermione was a writhing, trembling mess beneath George, yet a part of her was not satisfied, despite having come completely undone in his arms. She loved this man more than she could express with words, but it felt as if something - no, _**someone**_ \- was missing. Her heart was not whole without the part of it that was solely Fred's.

In the throes of their passion, George felt an intense urge to mark the woman he loved as his. With a groan he came, his face buried into the crook of her neck and shoulder, his canines itching to bite down and infuse his mark upon her and complete their bond. To make her his mate. Yet he held back.

Hermione held on tight as a the sense of love and devotion washed over her. But she also felt something else, as if they were both missing the one person to complete them both.

George could feel Fred through the bond, his existence ever present since birth was there, lurking, and he knew that he couldn't do it, because deep down, there was still the faintest hope that his twin would come to his senses. He could not mark her, not without Fred.

George knew Hermione wasn't just his, she was _**theirs**_. Even if Fred was too stubborn to admit it.

But that didn't stop him from growling as through the bond he became aware of the emotions his twin was feeling. It was a mixture that was difficult to sort through; anger, betrayal, jealousy, confusion, lust. George stopped at the last one. He could tell that Fred's lust wasn't due to being able to sense George and Hermione's recent activities. No, it was caused by a whole other reason.

George growled again, frustrated with his brother's idiocy.

"Is everything alright?" a timid voice asked from beside him.

George smiled at Hermione wanting to reassure her. "Yes, love, I just couldn't help but think of wanting to do that again."

Hermione laughed, "I suppose it is something to consider."

"Mm, is that so?" George kissed the top of her head and pulled her to his chest. Yes, his brother was truly an idiot.

* * *

Fred had nearly made it to the flat when the dual waves of desire flowed through the bond, almost causing him to lose control of the car. Taking deep, cleansing breaths, he fought against the assaulting emotions as he stepped on the gas in order to make it home. Throwing the car into park, Fred braced himself as the realization of what his twin and Hermione were doing at that very moment dawned on him.

Abruptly, he was released from the sensations, cut off as the bond was blocked on George's end. But still, he knew...

He swallowed hard, his eyes clenching shut against the image his mind was conjuring up. George and their Kit. Together. Without him. But... hadn't he chosen to be excluded? He shook his head, desperate to clear it. He glanced at the building in front of him as he fought the urge to turn around and head back to Hermione's.

 _'No, that's just the bond. I made my choice.'_ he thought emphatically. _'Are you sure about that?'_ a voice whispered in the back of his mind, causing a bout of uncertainty. Was he sure about this? He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, threatening to choke him.

Suddenly, there was a tap tap tapping at the driver's side window startling him. He whipped his head around to see Angelina standing beside the car, smiling at him. Turning off the ignition, Fred took one last deep breath, before stepping out of the car.

Angelina stepped back to allow him to exit, then practically threw herself into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist as she did so. Stumbling slightly, he was forced to grab hold of her by her thighs in order to keep his balance.

He chuckled, giving her a crooked grin even as he tried to pushed down the torrent of mixed emotions he was feeling.

"Hey." he greeted her. "Thanks for coming over."

"You're welcome, handsome." she replied, releasing his waist and allowing her legs to lower to the ground, though she made sure to rub up against him as much as humanly possible as she did so. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" she grinned up at him.

"Oh, I wanted to tell you that me and George will be going out of town in the morning" Fred informed her as he extracted himself from her arms in order to unlock the door.

Angelina pouted at this. "Aww, but Freddie, we just got back together. Do you have to go?"

Fred nodded. "Yes, I do. It's a really important meeting that we've been looking forward to for a long time. That's why I called you over, so I could say goodbye to my girlfriend properly."

"Oh, a proper goodbye, you say?" Angelina cooed as she entered the shop ahead of Fred. She waited for him to turn around once he'd locked the door back, before grabbing his hand. "That sounds like a good idea to me." she purred, and began leading him upstairs.

Once they were fully inside the flat, Angelina pulled Fred to her, instigating a heated kiss that - although had his head spinning - wasn't near as intoxicating as the one he'd shared with Hermione. Fred did his best to cut that line of thinking off as he attempted to lose himself in the kiss. When he found himself having trouble, he let his thoughts stray to his twin and Hermione and what they were doing at that very moment.

His body began to react then, and he took the chance afforded him, Fred allowed Angelina to lead him into his bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind them.

* * *

tbc...

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Oh. My. God. That was freaking tough, I tell you! I don't think I would have been able to make it through without the help of my wonderful new friend. Amber, thank you so _**so**_ much for your assistance and constant encouragement with making this chapter happen so quickly! I really am looking forward to co-writing a future fic with you. ^_^

Now for the next chapter, we're going to see the fallout of what Fred's done and then the twins are off to Japan! Things will be left unresolved but don't worry, it'll all get taken care of in the end. Please review and let me know what you guys think!


	15. Chapter 15

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 15 -**

* * *

 _ **Wednesday Morning - Hermione's House**_

* * *

George could feel as his consciousness coaxed him from the realm of slumber and towards the land of wakefulness. He stretched his lean body, legs reaching down towards the end of the mattress as his back arched, working the tiredness from his muscles. Opening his eyes, his lips turned up in a pleased smile as he spied the woman who lay beside him, still blissfully asleep. Hermione on her side, her curly hair in a disarrayed mess about her face. Simply beautiful.

He paused as he felt a difference in the bond between them. It seemed to be stronger, deeper, as though their activities from the previous evening had made them that much closer.

With surprise, he realized that he could actually feel the moment when Hermione began to fully awaken from her sleep. He watched in amazement as her eyelids fluttered open, her deep brown gaze meeting his almost instantly. Her hand drifted up to caress the side of his face as her lips turned up in a smile similar to his.

 _'So handsome.'_

George jolted as the sound of her voice echoed in his mind, her lips not moving to accompany the sound. Her smile dropped as she felt his reaction. Immediately, she removed her hand from his face, thinking that was the cause and a sense of uncertainty flooded her.

George felt this and - pushing back his shock - quickly sought to assure her. Grabbing her retreating hand, he brought it to his lips, bestowing a loving kiss to the back before pressing it against his chest near his heart.

"Good morning, love." he greeted her softly, feeling relieved when the worry that had filled her evaporated at his tender gesture.

"Morning, George," she replied demurely and he couldn't help but lean in and steal a kiss.

Glancing at the clock, he regrettably realized that he needed to get up soon lest he and Fred miss their flight. The thought of his twin effectively brought his mood down as he recalled just where Fred had gone last night. He was so disappointed in his twin, but as much as he wanted to smash Fred's head against the nearest wall and hope some sense would be knocked back into him, he would not force his brother to accept the bond until he was ready. He just hoped that Fred hadn't thoroughly fuck up last night and would find his brother at the flat when he stopped by to gather his luggage.

"As much as I would simply love to lay in bed with you all day, I have a plane to catch." he murmured, holding her close. "I hate to ask this, Kit, but could you drop me off at the flat?"

Hermione giggled against his chest. "If I say no, would you cancel the trip and stay with me?" she asked, only half teasing.

"Don't tempt me." he rolled her onto her back as he rose up to hover over her delectable form. Gazing into her eyes, he truly did feel the urge to postpone the trip. But no, this was far too significant to put off.

He leaned down, snogging her thoroughly before pulling back and sighing. "I'm sorry, love, but this is a really important meeting." he urged.

She sighed. "Fine," she said, pushing him away playfully. "Get dressed then."

They both rose from the bed and got dressed, then with hands clasped, left for the flat. George was relieved to see the old Ford Anglia parked next to the shop. He looked to Hermione, giving her a bright smile as he went to thank her for the ride, but stopped when she killed her car.

George gave her a questioning look, to which she replied, "You don't honestly think I'm allowing you both to leave without giving Fred a proper goodbye, did you?"

George smirked, giving her a playful wink. "Is he going to receive the same farewell that I did?"

His teasing earned him the delightful sight of a blush gracing her lovely face. With a chuckle he exited the car, as did Hermione. Once again taking her hand in his, he lead her into the shop and up the stairs towards the flat.

* * *

 _ **Wednesday Morning - The Twins' Flat**_

* * *

Fred was awakened by the sound of the bedroom door clicking closed. His eyes flew open as the memory of what he had done last night washed over him and a sense of guilt hit him like a ton of bricks, weighing him down as he immediately looked over to the other side of his bed. It was empty and he honestly hoped that Angelina was leaving, not wanting to have to explain to George what he had done. He sat up, the covers falling into his lap to reveal his naked torso, when the sound of shuffling coming from the living room met his ears. Deciding he'd best get up and make sure Angelina was indeed gone, he rose from the bed and began drawing on some clothes.

He had just reached the bedroom door when the sound of the door to the flat opening, followed by a sharp, feminine gasp issued from within the living room.

"Well, hello. Fancy seeing you here." Somehow, Angelina's cheerful greeting did not seem to ring true in Fred's mind

"Angelina. Wh-what are you doing here?" a familiar voice responded, sounding more broken than he'd ever heard it before and Fred felt as if ice water had replaced the blood in his veins.

 _'Hermione? No!'_ Fred panicked, as he heard Angelina continue speaking.

"I would have thought that was obvious." she was saying as he yanked open the door, stepping out into the living room. He saw Ange standing near the couch, dressed in no more than one of his button down shirts, much to Fred's chagrin. He then noticed Hermione standing in shock near the front door, an irate looking George beside her. Angelina's next words had him freezing in place in disbelief.

"You know," the dark skinned woman's voice had taken on a tone of disgust. "I do hope you realize that everyone was just putting up with you all those years at Hogwarts. You should really stop being such a leech."

"Oi!" George's outraged protest was echoed as Fred's voice joined his twin's.

But it was too late. With a strangled sob, Hermione was once again bolting from their flat just as she had a few nights prior.

Furious, Fred rounded on Angelina. "Get. Out." he growled, his voice darker than it had ever been.

"But, Freddie..." Angelina tried to plead with Fred, but to no avail.

" _ **I said get out**_!" Fred roared.

She scrambled to his room, grabbing her clothes and hastily putting them on before racing out the door. Fred's breathing was labored as he stared at the door that both women had bolted from.

In turn, George was staring at his brother, a look of disapproval on his face. "Fred-" he began, but was cut off as Fred rounded on him.

"How could you let her come in here?" he growled, his eyes burning into George.

"How could I- She wanted to say _**goodbye**_ to you, you git!" George said through gritted teeth.

That shut Fred down instantly, guilt flooding him once more. But... _**Why**_ was he feeling guilty, though? He had _**chosen**_ to be with Angelina. Chosen the normal path. Had that been the wrong choice?

"How could _**you**_ do that to Hermione?" George continued, "After all the flirting and interest you've shown her, one bloody thing goes wrong and suddenly you hop in bed with an old flame. You're pathetic."

Guilt churned in his stomach, but he pushed it away as he unthinkingly screamed, "I love Angelina!"

George stood, stunned, as silence fell between the brothers. They stared at each other, a look of disbelief on both of their faces.

Finally, George spoke. "I hope you know that you've crushed her. You hurt our Kit, Fred. I can't remember a time when she's looked so broken." the older twin stated. He could feel Hermione's hurt through the link and it was killing him. "If this trip wasn't something we couldn't put off, I'd go after her right now and to hell with you. But it can't." George paused before continuing, "We should go."

Fred nodded numbly. "Yeah, I guess we should."

They both gathered their bags and loaded them into the old Anglia, Fred climbing into the driver's seat, while George the passenger. The whole way to the airport, George kept hitting redial on Hermione's number.

She never once picked up.

* * *

Hermione was having a hard time driving due to the tears that would not stop streaming from her eyes. Weeping, she made her way down the street, narrowly missing sideswiping a car that had been pulling out of a nearby driveway. With a gasp, she yanked the steering wheel, avoiding the car - who's driver honked and gestured rudely at her through the window - before driving on.

Shaken by the near miss, Hermione pulled to the side of the road before putting the car in park. She rested her forehead against the steering wheel, her shoulders shaking with each anguished cry. She remained on the shoulder for who knew how long - minutes? hours? - before she was finally able to get her sobs under control. Her cell phone buzzed, and instinctively knowing who it was, she ignored it.

In the condition she was currently in, she was sure she would kill someone with how reckless she was being. She had been heading for her parents' house, but the previous near accident made her decide to go to Luna's instead, since it was closer. With that decision made, Hermione steered the car back onto the road and headed in that direction.

When she reached the Lovegood Estate, she was surprised to see her friend standing outside as though she knew Hermione was on the way, and perhaps she had. Luna seemed to have a knack for that sort of thing.

Hermione turned off the car and shuffled her way into Luna's waiting arms. The blonde psychic whisked the sniveling brunette inside of the house and ushered her into the sitting room. Once they were sat upon the plush couch, Hermione cried herself out for the next few minutes, Luna never saying anything, simply making comforting noises as she stroked Hermione's curly hair gently.

When Hermione's eyes couldn't produce anymore tears and her uncontrollable shaking had stopped, she wiped her face and turned to her friend. Luna waited patiently, allowing her to gather her thoughts.

"Fred.. he-" she began, but just saying his name seemed impossible at the moment.

"He slept with Angelina," Luna finished the sentence Hermione had been unable to, her hand rubbing soothing circles against the weeping woman's back.

Hermione nodded feebly, but the blonde's next words startled her. "Fred did a very stupid thing, Mimi, but don't give up hope. He loves you very much, he's just really confused right now."

Hermione's breath hitched as she tried to contemplate Luna's words. Don't give up hope? It didn't seem like there was any _**hope**_ to be had, not with how thoroughly Fred seemed to have chosen Angelina. "It hurts, Luna." Hermione confessed. "It really hurts."

The sound of Hermione's cell phone rang out from within her pocket and Luna's brows scrunched up. "Are you going to answer that?" she asked.

Hermione pulled the small device out and took the battery out. "No," she said with a fresh batch of tears beginning to well up. "For once, I don't want to talk to them."

"Not even George?"

Hermione looked sadly at her friend, "No. Not even George. Not now anyways." Sighing, she continued. "They have some important business meeting they have to go to. They'll be gone a week. Maybe by that time, I'll feel like talking to them again."

Luna stared at her friend, "And if it takes longer than a week?"

Hermione frowned. "George said it wouldn't."

"But circumstances could always arise," Luna dreamily stated.

"What circumstances? It's just a business meeting." Hermione argued. Wiping her eyes, Hermione took deep cleansing breathes. She still felt the aching pain in her chest, but at least the tears had stopped. "If something happens and they have to stay longer, then I'll talk to them on the phone."

Luna knew that reasoning with Hermione in this state would be impossible so she just agreed with her friend, allowing her to believe what she wanted for the time being.

"I don't think I feel up to going to work today. Do you mind if I hang out here for a while?" Hermione asked.

Luna shook her head. "Of course not, Mimi. You can stay as long as you like. I actually have a Reading scheduled for this afternoon. Would you like to sit in on it?"

"Sure... sounds interesting." Hermione cracked a smile. "You wouldn't mind if I used one of your bedrooms for a bit first? I'm feeling a bit drained."

"Of course, Mimi, you can use the one you stayed in last time." the blonde grinned as she rose from the couch. "You go rest, and I'll prepare us a meal for later."

"Thanks, Luna, you're the best." Hermione stood to hug her friend.

She left the sitting room and ascended the stairs, making her way to the small bedroom she'd occupied the last time she'd stayed over at the Lovegood Estate. Not having anything to change into, Hermione simply kicked off her shoes and fell into bed fully clothed.

Once she was sprawled out on the comfortable bed, sleep instantly consumed her.

* * *

 _ **Wednesday Morning - Malfoy Manor**_

* * *

Lucius Malfoy sat at his desk, his fingers tapping relentlessly on the wooden surface. Nearly two weeks had passed yet neither Crabbe nor Goyle had yet to bring the elusive Miss Granger to him. Instead, they were standing before him arguing. The Malfoy don rolled his eyes at such a childish display and wondered what he had been thinking when hiring the duo.

"I'm just saying, we would have had her by now if it wasn't for you, Vincent." Goyle's face was pinched up as he shouted at his partner.

Vincent scoffed. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't try to lay this all off on me. You've botched your fair share of chances to nab her!" the taller goon grumbled.

"But I'm the one who actually wants to get her." Goyle defended, his face darkening at Vincent's words.

"Yeah, get her so you can have your way with her," Crabbe muttered darkly under his breath.

"Silence!" Lucius' silken voice cut through the two men's squabbling, bringing their attention to their boss, who was glaring at them. "While the issue of Miss. Granger is important, it is not the reason for why I called you in." His two henchmen stared at him with apprehension. "There is a more pressing matter that I need you to take care of."

The two goons turned to look questioningly at their boss.

Lucius quickly filled them in on their new priority, "I need the two of you to go to France and clean up a...mess that happened. We need to make sure that the Malfoy name is not in anyway involved with this incident. Do I make myself clear?"

"France? But that will take a while won't it? What about the Granger bint?" Goyle asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"She shall have to wait." Lucius seethed.

Vincent elbowed Gregory in the ribs when it looked like the idiot was going to whine some more. The shorter man resisted the urge to shoot his companion a glare, instead he lowered his eyes to the floor obediently. "Yes, sir." he mumbled.

"Do not screw this up." Lucius threatened. "If you do, there will be no coming back from it."

The two goons stiffly nodded before Lucius dismissed them. They walked swiftly out of his office and stepped into the hallway. "This is all your fault, Vincent." Gregory Goyle said as soon as they were out of earshot.

" _ **Me**_?" Vincent spluttered.

Goyle snarked, "Yes, you. If not for your buggering up this mission, Mr. Malfoy wouldn't have pulled us off it. Now I've got to wait till I get back from France before I can get my hands on that little slut. And there's no telling how long that will be."

"You're being ridiculous," Vincent rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to stand here and listen to you put this all on me. So you have to wait a couple of weeks before you can abduct the girl. Deal with it!"

With that, he turned and stalked away, though as he did so he could feel Gregory Goyle's eyes glaring daggers into his back the entire time.

* * *

From his seat by the window, Fred watched as the airplane carried he and his twin away from London and towards something that they had yearned for all their lives: answers.

Leaning back in his seat, he closed his eyes as he lost sight of the ground, fluffy white clouds now floated by the window, obscuring everything else. His thoughts became troubled as they drifted toward what had happened at their flat a few short hours ago. How had everything gone to shit so quickly? Despite declaring his love for Angelina to George, he couldn't help but wonder at how the words had rang false even to his own ears.

Perhaps they were. How could he profess to loving her after hearing the harsh things she had said to Hermione? The girl he had come to care for so deeply from the moment he had met her. He had wanted nothing more than for Angelina to be gone from his sight the moment she had uttered them. And the glimpse he'd caught of the devastated look on Hermione's face before she fled had left his stomach tied in knots and yet he was still denying his feelings. He was desperately hoping that this meeting would help shed some light on this bond he and his twin shared with Hermione.

George sat at a window seat across the isle from his twin as he too watched London become smaller and smaller. He kept fidgeting in his seat as he thought about Kit, worrying about her well-being. Remembering the discovery he had made when he'd woke up in Hermione's bed this morning, George reached out with his end of the bond, allowing the link to find Hermione. He grinned giddily when he realized how much easier it was than before. The grin was quickly wiped from his face, however. He could feel her presence through their bond more intensely and that ability allowed him to feel just how dark her presence felt to him now. It was concerning just how much, as though all light had been drained from her.

He concentrated more, attempting to tap into her mind and hopefully hear a stray thought as he had before. After a moment, his breath caught in his throat as his Kit's beautiful voice, tainted by sadness, reverberated through his mind.

 _'It hurts, Luna. It really hurts.'_

George breathed a sigh of relief. She was at Luna's, good. She didn't need to be alone right now. He once again cursed Fred and his hard headedness. Concentrating hard, he waited, hoping to hear something more. Anything to help ease the anxiety he was feeling at having left Hermione in such a state. After a few moments, her voice surfaced again.

 _'You wouldn't mind if I used one of your bedrooms for a bit first? I'm feeling a bit drained.'_

 _'She's going to sleep...'_ George mused. _'I wonder...'_

He had only tried this once before, the night following Hermione's attack by Draco and his subsequent rescue in his Foxy Form. With a nightmare plaguing her dreams, he'd felt the urge to comfort her, and at the same time, assure her that her Secret Protector was indeed friend and not foe. It seemed she was again in need of comfort, and George knew just how to do it.

He waited until he felt her consciousness drift away as she entered into a dream world. He settled back into his seat, willing himself into the trance he had mastered on the fly that night that now seemed so long ago, but had in fact not even been a month ago. Within moments, he'd made contact.

When Hermione had lain down upon the bed at Luna's house, her only wish had been for a dreamless sleep. One that would - if only momentarily - eased the aching pain of heart break she was feeling. However, her wish was not to be fulfilled.

To her dismay, she 'awoke' to find herself standing in the middle of the twins' flat once again. She turned around at a sound behind her to find Fred standing before her. She felt a rending pain in her chest at the look upon his handsome face as he stared down at her, as if she were little more than a nuisance to him and not the life long friend she'd thought herself to be.

"Why don't you just go away, Granger." Fred's voice chilled her soul as his lip curled up in disdain. "I've got more important things to do."

"But, Fred, I-" she choked on her words, missing the ripple that seemed to move around her environment, as if something had disrupted the dreamscape momentarily. "I love you." she managed to say brokenly, her voice begging him to understand the depth of her feelings for him.

"I don't care." Fred stared back with cold eyes, and Hermione shivered under their intensity. "Leave." he demanded, then quickly turned from her.

Hermione felt another stabbing pain to the chest when Angelina appeared, moving to Fred's side so that he could gather her into his arms. Their lips met with such a passionate display that Hermione couldn't help but press a fist to her lips in order to stifle the scream of protest that wanted to emerge.

Instead, she turned and ran.

She'd taken no more than a few steps, however, before something warm and furry wrapped itself around her waist, stilling her flight. Spinning around, she found herself - not in the twins' flat - but in the midst of a dense forest, her four legged savior stood not far from her.

"Akio?" she questioned, his name foreign on her tongue.

She glanced down and realized that it was his bushy tail that had stolen around her waist. It pulled her closer to the creature, who by now was in no way frightening to her. Instead, she felt the urge to run to it, to wrap her arms around his neck. To bury her fingers into the thick, soft fur.

 _'It's okay, love'_ Akio's soothing voice, purred in her mind. _'You are okay.'_

Hermione's breath hitched. "But... he doesn't love me." she whispered softly.

His ears twitched, indicating he'd heard her and a large head moved to nudge her affectionately. She gave into the previous urge and knelt before the beast, burying the fingers of one hand into the fur between his ears, while the other carded through the fur at his neck.

 _'He does love you, never doubt that. He just doesn't want to see it right now. Give him time.'_

She shook her head, unconvinced. "I have George, and I love him. But it just doesn't... I don't feel complete. Not without both of them."

 _'As I said, give it time. All will be as it should when they return.'_

"How can you know?" She wanted to believe him so much. "You couldn't possibly know for sure."

She met his golden eyes that seemed to glow with more knowledge than a simple fox should possess. But then again, Hermione mused, there was nothing 'simple' about this particular fox, now was there? Once more his voice filled her mind.

 _'Trust me, love, I know more than you're giving me credit for.'_ His muzzle seemed to take on something similar to a smile, and for the life of her, Hermione could find no deceit in his words.

Her hands moved of their own accord, wrapping completely around his neck and connecting at the back as she moved to hug him close. He nuzzled his head into her neck, and she couldn't help but giggle at the tickling sensation it caused.

"Thank you," she genuinely whispered.

They sat like that for some time, Hermione hugging Akio to her like her life depended on it. He curled his lithe body around hers, the tip of his tail - which was still wrapped around her waist - brushing gently against her thigh every so often.

Soon, a silvery mist gradually blew in and Hermione knew she was beginning to wake up. Pulling away, she looked into the amber eyes of her Protector, wondering at how familiar they seemed, as if he were an old friend.

"You...you look familiar somehow," she said, biting her lip hesitantly.

Akio smiled, his tail brushing along the length of her arm, sending a shiver throughout her body. _'You will know more soon, I promise.'_ his voice echoed in her mind even as he backed away, his form fading into the misty haze.

In the waking world, Hermione opened her eyes.

She blinked, sitting up in the bed as she looked around, finally remembering where she was and why. For a moment tears began to form, but then she remembered her dream, and her Protector's words.

'He _does love you, never doubt that. Just give him time.'_

And in her heart, Hermione found that she believed them, and she smiled.

* * *

George jolted awake in his seat just as a bout of turbulence caused the plane to shake roughly. It was just beginning to level out as he glanced over, catching sight of Fred whose window seat was directly across the isle from his. His twin looked a bit green around the gills and he was clutching tightly to the arm rests of his chair.

'Getting a bit airsick there, Freddie?" George couldn't help but tease, as he himself felt just fine.

"Oh, bugger off." Fred grumbled miserably.

George chuckled, "I talked to Kit a moment ago."

This caused Fred to perk up dramatically. "You mean she actually answered?"he cast a glance in George's direction which quickly turned to confusion. Mentally, he projected his next comment. _'Wait. I thought you were asleep just now.'_ he questioned.

 _'I was,'_ George explained, resorting to the link as well. _'Remember that first night after she was attacked?'_

 _'Oh, right,'_ Fred nodded. _'You mean when you spoke to her in the dream. But... we're pretty far from her now. You can still do that from way up here?'_

 _'I wasn't for sure it would work at first, but I gave it a try and it did.'_ George turned back in his seat.

Fred sat back as well, but couldn't help but ask, _'So... how was she?'_

Fred sat back as well, but couldn't help but ask, _'So... how was she, Forge?'_

George felt the guilt rolling off his twin. _'She's hurt, Gred. What did you expect?'_

 _'I didn't mean to-'_ Fred broke off and from the corner of his eye George could see him shift uncomfortably in his seat. _'You're right. I did hurt her and I'm sorry.'_

 _'I spoke to her as Akio in the dream. She seemed not as upset afterwards. But we definitely have some explaining to do when we get back.'_ George urged. _'And you need to come to final decision, because as much as I love you, brother, I am not holding back when it comes to my feelings for Hermione.'_

 _'I - yeah, alright,'_ Fred resigned. He knew that he needed to make a decision, but he wasn't sure how he truly felt. He hoped that this meeting would help shed some light on the bond and help him make a decision. Glancing down, he noted the time on the small screen imbedded into the back of the seat before him and sighed.

Just a few more hours.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Okay, so next chapter is the long awaited meeting with Mr. Minamino. Yay the crossover is finally in effect! I hope I can still characterize Kurama correctly, it's been a while since I wrote for my favorite YYH couple (which, if any of you are curious, is totally not canon) Kurama/Keiko. Hope you all are enjoying the story so far. We'll be nearing the end in about five or six more chapters. ^_^


	16. Chapter 16

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 16 -**

* * *

The twins arrived in Japan late Wednesday evening, so after checking in to their hotel they made a quick call to Mr. Minamino using the personal number he'd texted to them to reconfirm their meeting the following morning. Afterwards, they both ate something before trying to relax for the rest of the night.

The next day, both felt a bit jet lagged, and George was still irritated with Fred about the mess with Hermione and Angelina that he'd left back home. Nonetheless, anxiousness overrode all of that as they reached their destination around noon. They entered the small office belonging to someone who, presumably, held the answers to all the questions they had held within themselves for practically their entire lives.

The person who awaited them was quite a surprise, to say the least. A tall, slender man of no more than thirty, rose from his chair behind a mahogany desk. He had flowing crimson hair that framed bright green eyes and androgynous features decreeing his Asian descent. He was flanked by a pretty brunette who appeared to be in the early stages of pregnancy with the way her stomach protruded slightly under the hands she used to cradle the small bump.

"George and Fred Weasley, I presume." The man spoke in perfect English. His voice was pleasant, almost soothing in tone and Fred and George couldn't help but stare at the pair in awe until the red head cleared his throat politely and startled them from their stupor.

"Oh! Uh, sorry, yeah, that's us. It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor Minamino." Fred stepped forward, extending his hand politely, as did George.

The professor shook Fred's hand, then George's. Both were surprised by the strength behind the handshake, the man's somewhat feminine appearance belying his true strength.

"Please, call me Shuichi. I would like to introduce you to my lovely wife, Keiko." Shuichi gestured to the woman who had moved to stand beside him. She smiled at the twins pleasantly before bestowing a traditional bow in their direction.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Misters Weasley." The woman's voice was warm and welcoming and the twins felt at once comfortable in both of their presences.

"Oh, none of that Mister stuff. I'm just Fred. This is George." Fred pointed to himself, then his brother as he introduced themselves.

"If you prefer," Shuichi nodded, gesturing toward the chairs on the opposite side of the desk from him. "Won't you have a seat, Fred. George."

"Don't mind if we do." George responded. He could feel Fred's excitement building and was positive that Fred could feel his. They were so close to finding out what the bloody hell they were!

The red headed professor retook his seat and his wife nodded to the two men before exiting through a little door on the right side of the room.

"Now then, I know that you have traveled a long way to meet me. To be honest, I was quite surprised to receive your call since very few are aware of this particular area of my expertise. How did you come by that bit of information, might I ask?" Shuichi had placed his elbows upon his desk, fingers steepled before his lips as his piercing green eyes bore into the twins' own blue ones.

"Ah, well, you see-" Fred began.

"That was a stroke of dumb luck on our part." George continued.

Fred picked up from his twin. "We happened to run across a book in a book store-" he said, producing said book and handing it across to Shuichi, who took it gracefully. He opened the book and leafed through the pages, his eyes scanning the text before glancing back up.

"I see." he said.

Closing the tome, Shuichi placed it upon his desk before rising from his seat. He crossed the room to where an old chest sat in the corner. Fred and George watched, their eyes widening as the professor's hand glowed in a familiar way as he held it over the secured lock, which released itself immediately.

Withdrawing another book from the depths of the chest, Shuichi rose and returned to his desk and handed it over to the twins. Fred and George looked at one another before George reached out and took it. It was similar to the one they had found, only this one was more aged. The parchment crackled as George gingerly turned a page. It was thicker, more detailed information was held within these pages. Where there had only been a hint of things in the other book, this one expanded way beyond that. There were even pictures, of sorts, more like drawings really. This book, the twins realized, was the original to the one they had found in Flourish and Blott's.

"I am surprised you found that book, to be honest," Shuichi spoke, breaking the twins from their flabbergasted state. "It wasn't meant to be published anywhere but locally. Good thing it was rated as fiction or else I'd be in trouble." the red head's amused chuckle caused Fred and George to stare at him wide-eyed.

"Fiction?"

"You mean to say-"

"That everything in this book-"

"-isn't real?"

They sounded disappointed, and Shuichi chuckled again. "That's not what I'm saying at all." he reassured them. "I only meant that if people were to take the contents of this book as truth, then... Let's just say, it could cause trouble for some."

Suddenly, the amusement was gone, replaced by intense seriousness that darkened the professor's eyes to near a nearly jade hue. "The book was listed as fiction in order to protect the secrets held within. When published as a book for entertainment as opposed to an informative text, it rendered the words held within harmless." When the twins still looked confused, Shuichi continued. "The tale that this book recites is, in fact, true. There really are youkai in this world, though cleverly disguised."

"So, there really are such things as Kitsune?" Fred asked eagerly.

"Yes, there are." Shuichi smirked.

"And how do you know this?" George inquired, closing the book and returning it to the desk top.

Shuichi's lips quirked at this question. "I thought that would have been obvious." he replied. "Because I am one."

This admission hung in the air tantalizingly before the return of Keiko, carrying a tray laden with cups and a steaming teapot, interrupted any sort of reaction the twins might have given.

"So these are the ones you were telling me about earlier, Shuichi?" Keiko asked as she went about setting out the cups and preparing the tea. "Strange… I don't sense any youki coming from them."

Shuichi chuckled. "That is because their youki is very low in regards to their spirit energy. It wouldn't be enough for you to sense through our bond, my sweet."

"Ah, I see." Keiko smiled softly at her husband, pouring him a cup of tea before moving to do the same for the twins.

George and Fred were confused. "Excuse me, Mr - er, Shuichi. But, um, what is youki? And why would we have it? Is that why we can do the things we do?"

"Forgive me," Shuichi turned his attention back to the twins. "I had forgotten you were unaware of how you came about your powers. My mistake. I had assumed Akio would have made contact but..." Here the professor tilted his head as if he were studying the twins. His emerald eyes developed a noticeable amber tinge as he continued. "Perhaps not."

The amber hue faded from his eyes, regaining their normal green. "As for your question, youki is the life force that a youkai, or demon as you might refer to them, possesses."

The twins shared an alarmed look. "Demons?" George whispered.

"You mean we're not human?" Fred added.

"Oh, don't worry, you _**are**_ human... " Shuichi smiled at their relieved looks before continuing light heartedly, "somewhat."

"What do you mean _**somewhat**_!"

"Oi, give it to us straight, why don't you!"

"Unfortunately, I am still uncertain on what to tell you." Shuichi sighed, "To be entirely honest, I have a few questions of my own and in order for me to obtain the answers to these questions, as well as give you a suitable explanation, I shall have to do something first."

"What's that?" Fred asked, before darting a look at his brother. They both were eager for answers, but unsure of what getting them would cost.

"I will have to merge my youki with yours. It will allow me a link to your energy so that I might identify it. If my theory is correct, then it is most important that I do this so that I might explain."

A bit hesitant, the twins conversed through their bond before finally coming to a decision.

"Okay, we'll let you-" George began.

"-but you have to answer all of our questions-" Fred continued.

"-once it's over. Got it?" George completed their response.

"I had planned on doing so anyway. Believe me when I say, I have no desire to keep things from you which you are entitled to know." the professor assured them, then turned to his wife. "Keiko, if you please, we are in need of a bit of privacy."

Keiko leaned over, gracing her husband with a loving kiss on his cheek. "Of course, my love." She gathered the tray and kettle, leaving their cups of unfinished tea for later. "It was a pleasure meeting you both." She told the twins before exiting the room.

"Now then," The twins turned back to Shuichi, who had moved around the desk to stand before them. "Let's do this, shall we?" At the twin nods, Shuichi continued. "You two really don't need to do anything but relax, seeing as I will be doing most of the leg work. Once I've tapped into your youki, I will be able to gain access to certain things, such as past memories and the like. By doing so I hope to prove my theory and thus be able to reveal the truth behind your abilities and relay them to you. Understood?"

Dual nods were his answer and so, he began.

* * *

The red headed professor, known to those at his work place as Shuichi Minamino, was not all that he appeared. Outwardly, he was the mild-mannered, androgynously handsome man who left various students and fellow faculty members (male and female alike) swooning. He was the man who had been teaching at Tokyo University for four years. He was a published author of one special book that had brought him to the attention of the red headed twins now before him. Inwardly, however, was a different story.

When in the company of his lovely wife, or a select group of friends, he was simply known as Kurama. A former Makai thief and spirit fox trapped in a human body. Well, not necessarily trapped. He simply chose to remain in the human world despite having achieved the ability to transform to his full demon form eight years prior. He had stayed in the Ningenkai mainly because of one person: Keiko.

He had first met Keiko when they were both teenagers. He had been fifteen and she fourteen. She had also been the childhood friend of Yusuke Urameshi, a hot headed youth who often thought with his fists rather than his brain, and yet still _**always**_ managed to come out on top. They met as opponents, but would quickly become comrades and eventually the best of friends.

And Keiko had been utterly devoted to him.

Despite having sensed the beginnings of a mating bond forming with Keiko not long after meeting her, Kurama had denied the connection, instead allowing things between Keiko and Yusuke to play out. He'd had no wish to bind Keiko to him, believing she did not feel the same way.

In the first few years that he had become friends with Yusuke, he had always assumed the black haired boy would come to his senses about Keiko and the obvious feelings between them. Oh, how wrong the red head had been. It wasn't until after Yusuke had discovered his youkai heritage and his demon genes had matured enough to overtake the human ones, that Yusuke had discovered the existence of his true mate.

To everyone's surprise, it hadn't been Keiko.

Not long after that, Kurama decided to make his intentions in regards to Keiko known and much to his surprise, she had returned the sentiment. It wasn't until later that she had told him that she'd always felt an attraction to him, from the very beginning, but had ignored it as well, despite the unfavorable effects she'd experienced in doing so. Thankfully, their stubbornness had been resolved without Keiko suffering too badly.

And now, he was the one who would uncover the secret as to why the Weasley Twins were apparently part demon and had not known.

Placing his left hand on George's right shoulder and his right on Fred's left shoulder, Kurama allowed his youki to emanate outwardly. The glow of his life force reaching out to meet that of the twins' which was now visible to him.

Kurama looked at the twin on the right, Fred he believed. He could tell there was something wrong by the way his energy seemed dimmer than his brothers. Where George had a bright sunset colored halo surrounding him, Fred's was barely visible. It was present, but seemed strained somehow. This worried the kitsune for it meant that the bond connecting the twins had been damaged somehow on Fred's end. He made note to ask them about this. It could be very dangerous, perhaps even life-threatening if the bond wasn't repaired.

Kurama continued his journey. The mingling of their youki meant that Kurama basically had a window into their lives. From the moment they had been conceived, up until now, he could find out all he wanted to about the Weasley twins. They had put a great deal of trust in allowing him to do this and Kurama felt honored by such trust. For that reason, he made an effort not to delve into anything that did not involve their conditions.

Which is why he was surprised when the first vision he happened to witness was of the twin he believed to be George, transforming into a spirit fox form, before leaping from where he'd stood in the wooded area. Moving to a nearby treetop, Kurama watched as George landed hard upon a moving car, causing it to veer wildly out of control.

Kurama watched with wide eyes as the twin proceeded to rip the driver's side door from its hinges, all the while screams issued from within the automobile. When George yanked someone from the car, causing the automobile to crash into a curb in the process, Kurama became momentarily concerned. That is, until he caught sight of the gun in the blonde haired man held in his hand.

He watched as George drug the man a short distance from the car and shook him, knocking the gun away as he subdued him. Kurama could tell he was not doing as much damage as he could have. Instead, the kitsune simply held the human down, until eventually, the man passed out from fright, his screams of terror ceasing.

Once that had happened, George bounded around behind the car, coming up on the passenger side to peer in through the window. Kurama moved to another vantage point in order to see what George was looking at and found the answer to be a young, brown haired woman. She was staring into George's eyes, a look of fear and, surprisingly, vague curiosity on her face.

Giving a sharp snort, George bounded away into the woods, but Kurama could sense he hadn't gone far. After a few moments, Kurama watched as the girl crawled into the driver's seat and try to crank the car. It was futile, however, as the engine refused to roar to life. Finally giving up, she remained inside the wreckage for a moment, to gather her bearings perhaps, before seeming to come to a decision. She quickly bolted from the car, making a run for the street and Kurama felt that George was shadowing the girl from the trees and so followed suite. Leaping through the branches in order to keep up, Kurama wondered all the while all the while who this girl was and why the twin had risked exposing himself to her in order to protect her.

He found his answer when they reached the apparent destination. As the woman began to beat upon the door of the building she had ran to, Kurama watched as George's lithe form rounded the structure. Just as he had disappeared through an upstairs window, the front door opened, sending the woman tumbling into the arms of George's twin.

 _'She knows them,'_ Kurama surmised, as Fred drew the woman's trembling form into his arms. He also took note that at this point in their life the spiritual bond the twins shared was whole and undamaged, as they were now the same color, making Kurama wonder what had caused the change in hue. That seldom happened though there were a few various reasons that could explain it. Another mystery to unravel.

Curious about the identity of the woman, but knowing he needed to sift further back into the memories if he was to find answers, Kurama moved on.

As he 'walked' through the shared mind-scape, Kurama took in a vision of the two red heads standing inside of an establishment of some sort.

As Kurama listened in, He gleaned from the bit of conversation going on between one of the twins and a small child, that this was where the young men worked.

"We have an assortment of those right over here, young man." The one speaking was Fred, he sensed and he followed behind as the little boy was led to an isle piled high with many types of fireworks amongst other things.

Taking stock of the inventory, Kurama deduced that this was some kind of shop for pranks if the presence of a selection of items labeled exploding bonbons was anything to go by. He was just about to continue on when the brunette from the previous memory entering the shop caught his attention.

"Hermione!" both twins exclaimed, their voices filled with enthusiasm as they supplied Kurama with a name to the pretty face.

"Hey, guys!" Hermione blushed as she returned the greeting, a fact that Kurama did not miss.

Nor did the twins it seemed as both boys looked at each other, their lips stretching into a set of grins so mischievous it had Kurama chuckling in amusement.

"Will you look at that, Georgie? Even our little Kit isn't immune to our charm." Fred smirked.

George nodded fiercely, "We should probably tone it down some, Freddie. Would hate for our girl to become uncomfortable with us."

Hermione rolled her eyes, a playful grin emerging. "You know I can't resist your charm." she exaggerated.

The twins gasped, their hands coming to their heart in mock shock. "I cannot believe she just openly admitted to this." George exclaimed.

"Me either." Fred replied.

Hermione giggled and approached both boys, embracing them at the same time. As she did so, the twins' auras seemed to brighten significantly and Kurama had an inkling that he knew why.

 _'Could it be that she is the mate to both of them?'_ he thought. _'It's a rare thing to occur, certainly, though not impossible.'_

He watched their interaction a moment longer before deciding to delve deeper. In a flash, Kurama found himself once again in a wooded area, this one much denser than the last. The twins were standing in a clearing, appearing years younger, no more than fifteen or so and each sporting a pleased look on their face.

"You ready, Fred?" one twin asked the other.

The response came automatically. "Ready, George."

Their figure blurred as they took off into the treetops at a speed Hiei would be proud of. Kurama watched as for a time they seemed to race through the forest before coming back to the clearing once again, neither one out of breath.

"That was wicked!" they crowed together, whooping and high-fiving one another in a display of celebration.

As the boys continued exploring their new found demon speed, Kurama moved on to another point in their lives. They were walking down a hallway of what appeared to be a school, if the presence of other children milling about carrying satchels and armloads of textbooks was any clue. The first thing Kurama noticed was that they looked a couple years younger than last time he'd seen them. The second thing he noticed was the fact that the color of their auras had changed once more from the sunset color to a deep burgundy.

It was as the kitsune was pondering this that he witnessed the twins' first run-in (quite literally) with Hermione Granger. The doors that the twins had been walking past was pushed open hurriedly and a small figure came barreling out of the them and straight into the two brothers, knocking all three of them to the ground.

They struggled to sit up, the twins looking up at who had tackled them and it was like a switch had been thrown. Kurama watched as the deep burgundy color of their auras lightened to the color that was now present.

 _'So, she is their mate.'_ Kurama thought. _'Fascinating.'_

The scene played out as an obviously upset Hermione had ran away and the twins proceeded to follow. Their bonding moment between the three was quite heart-warming. Turning away, it took Kurama a couple more leaps through the memories before he found himself where he truly needed to be.

"The Makai." he murmured as he took in the expansive terrain of the Demon World.

The crimson sky above was oddly clear of the usual menacing dark clouds, Kurama noticed as he studied the mountainous area to determine which territory he was currently in. Quickly, he identified the telling markers of the Tourin region. This was a good thing, as Yusuke had managed to keep the less chaotic demons away since he'd taken over his father's reign. He began to walk, knowing he would eventually come upon the youkai in which he sought. Sure enough, he soon spied a figure up ahead.

"Akio," Kurama whispered the other demon's name as he continued to observe the scene.

He had known Akio for centuries, though the two kitsune had been more friendly rivals than true allies. Since regaining his full demon powers, Kurama had returned to the Demon World on several occasions, mostly to assist Yusuke on certain matters. But he had not encountered the red fox demon at any point, the Makai was a large plain of existence, after all. It was rather intriguing to Kurama that he would now find out what had happened to Akio.

The youkai was drawing nearer now and Kurama could make out his appearance. Tall and slender, Akio looked much like Kurama's own youko form, aside from coloring. He was slightly muscular with fair skin. A pair of fox ears was perched upon his head that matched the rust colored hair that trailed down his back and past his hips where a reddish fox tail protruded. He was dressed in a tunic that had been ripped in several places and splattered in blood that centered around a deep wound in the kitsune's side. Akio had recently been in battle and had not fared well.

Kurama's eyes widened at the state Akio was in. He could also tell that the wound was extremely bad, perhaps even fatal. He was proven correct when the red fox began to mumble to himself, his speech slurred from blood loss.

"Damn demon hunters... too many to avoid..." Akio stumbled, falling to his knees a few scant feet from Kurama. Shaking away the fog that had began to form in his mind, Akio gave a weak chuckle. "Heh... guess I could always pull a Youko."

Kurama's eyes widened at this. 'So, he did do the same as I." Despite the seriousness of the situation Kurama couldn't help but smirk. "I wasn't aware that I had become an expression in the Demon World." he mused.

Focusing back on the wounded fox, Kurama watched as Akio focused all of his youki, allowing it to grow in brightness as it gathered within him. Finally, when it was unleashed, the glowing essence made a beeline for the thinnest part of the barrier between the Makai and the Living World. There Kurama knew Akio would meet his fate within the womb of the twins' mother.

 _'The poor fool,'_ the red head thought, his eyes growing sad at the thought of what had become of the other kitsune. _'He chose unwisely.'_

Having seen enough, Kurama began to withdraw from the twins' minds. Slowly, he withdrew his youki from theirs and the familiar surroundings of the Makai quickly bled into that of his office at the university. The brothers looked slightly dazed and they swayed in their chairs a moment before finally gathering their bearings. George was the first to recover and gave the professor an anxious look.

"Well?" he asked, sparing a glance at Fred, who was also looking a bit nervous. The silence seemed to drag on forever before the older man's intense gaze locked with that of the twins as he finally spoke.

"Let's just say," Kurama smiled at them. "that we have a lot to talk about."

* * *

tbc...


	17. Chapter 17

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 17 -**

* * *

The twins were issued an invitation back to the professor's home for dinner that evening, which they graciously accepted. After they had left the university, Shuichi informed them that they could now use his true name, instead of his human one. When asked what that might be, his answer had sent their minds reeling.

"You are somewhat familiar with my true name, if I recall," He informed the twins as he pulled into the driveway of a nice looking two story house. "It's Kurama."

"You!" Fred exclaimed, unable to hide his giddiness.

George was equally excited as well. "You're who the book was about!"

Realization dawned then and as one the twins asked incredulously. "You wrote your own autobiography and published it as a children's book?"

Kurama suppressed a chuckle and instead shrugged. "What can I say? I was bored."

Keiko met them at the door with a smile. After giving her husband a welcoming kiss she greeted them graciously. "Welcome to our home, Fred-san, George-san. Please make yourselves comfortable. The meal will be ready in a few moments."

As Keiko returned to the kitchen to finish preparing the food, Kurama invited the boys to the den for drinks. The twins felt more at ease as they entered the house behind Kurama and once settled on a couch together opposite their host, who sat in a high backed chair, George asked the question both he and his twin had been dying to ask since they had left the school.

"So what did you find out?" he urged.

Fred and George waited while Kurama poured they and himself a glass of wine before settling back into his chair. Taking a sip, Kurama thought about how he wanted to proceed.

"Well," he began, "I suppose I should begin by asking you if the name 'Akio' means anything to you?"

The twins nodded enthusiastically. "That's the name I used when I took on my Foxy Form," George said. Off of Kurama's somewhat amused looked, he added sheepishly. "That's what we would call it when we transformed."

Kurama looked down at his drink. "Akio was another kitsune with whom I met many centuries ago." he began, "We weren't what you would call friends exactly, nor were we enemies, more like acquaintances really."

He glanced up, noting he held the twins' rapt attention. "I had lost track of him a while back, and to be honest, hadn't really thought much about him at all. That is, until I received your phone call." he took another sip of wine before setting the glass down upon the table beside his chair. Leaning forward, he met the brothers' eyes as he continued. "When I merged our youki earlier, I discovered what fate befell Akio. As you have read my book, I'm sure both of you can guess."

The twins looked at one another a moment before Fred took the initiative to respond. "I take it we're in a similar situation as yourself. Akio somehow got himself injured badly enough and sought refuge in our world and ran across our mum while she was expecting us." he said all of this in a questioning tone to which Kurama nodded in agreement.

"Exactly," he said, "the only difference being that there were two of you and only one of him. Obviously the outcome wasn't quite the same."

The twins looked a bit horrified. "What happened to him?" George asked.

"Seeing as how his intent was to insinuate his essence into the inhabitant of your mother's womb, I'm sure he was caught by surprise to find himself being... well, literally split in half by your own spiritual energy." Kurama himself looked disturbed while relaying this bit of information.

"You mean we killed him?" George asked.

Kurama shrugged. "I can't say for certain, however, the fact that you were unaware of him and he has not made contact with you after all these years..." he trailed off, leaving the brothers to draw their own conclusion.

Though the question had been answered somewhat, Fred was still curious. "So, what? We just sort of divvied up his energy between the two of us?"

Kurama nodded. "Basically, yes. The both of you simply absorbed his youki into your still developing bodies. I'm wagering that the introduction of the foreign essence altered your dna structure. Hence, your kitsune abilities."

 _'Well, that's one mystery solved.'_ Fred thought. George mentally agreed.

Kurama looked at twins before approaching what he was most curious about. Hesitantly, he spoke, "There was something that I noticed earlier that was rather... interesting."

The twins looked at one another, a bit curious and concerned at the tone Kurama used. George asked, "What was it?"

"Before I say anything, first let me ask you this," Kurama countered. "Do you know anything of auras?" Off their negative nods, he continued. "Then for you to understand, I must first explain something to you. I told you earlier about youki, but seeing as you are only part demon, you both also have reiki, which is similar to demon energy but only humans possess it. An aura is the emanation of that energy. The brighter the aura, the stronger the energy."

He paused a moment to let them absorb this information before continuing. "I noticed when you first arrived, before I merged our energies, that Fred, your aura is a good deal dimmer than that of your brother's. However, when I was observing your past selves, your energy was just as bright as his up until a point. As you are twins, the two of you have had a bond since birth and the strength of that bond is reflected in the brightness of your aura. This is bit disconcerting due to the fact that the change in your aura signifies that something has interfered or damaged this bond."

Kurama paused again, not entirely sure if he had a right to ask what he was about to. "Would you mind terribly if I asked if anything significant has happened recently? Something that could have caused such a rift?" he finally queried.

Fred's posture instantly stiffened as he went on the defensive. "Nothing's happened!" he snapped, half rising from his seat. George's hand shot to grip his bicep in a silent action of placation.

The riled twin eased under his brother's touch and sat back in his chair. George shot their host an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Kurama. My brother has been tending to fly off the handle a bit lately."

"I see," Kurama nodded in understanding. "You say recently."

"Well, there was a bit of an incident about a week ago with this bloke." George began, but stopped when Fred elbowed him in the ribs. _'I think he should know, Freddie.'_ George projected the suggestion. _'Maybe he'll be able to help.'_

Fred hesitated a moment, then silently nodded to give the go ahead. George turned back to Kurama and continued to speak. He explained about what had happened in the book shop with Oliver Wood and his ill fated decision to kiss Hermione leading to Fred's rather vicious reaction. Kurama listened attentively until George was done.

"I'm under the impression that this Hermione is important to you both. Am I correct?"

He noticed a pained look come over Fred's face. George's expression brightened for a moment at the mention of Hermione before he seemed to remember something and the smile slipped from his lips. Kurama studied the twins for a moment longer, patiently waiting for their response. Finally, George was the one to speak up.

"Yes, Hermione is important to...to both of us." he stated, though the last bit sounded a bit unsure.

Noticing the hesitant way George had said 'to both of us', Kurama decided to elaborate on his suspicions in hopes of getting the twins to open up more. "I saw in the mind scape the first time you both met Hermione. A bond was formed with her at that very moment. Are you aware of all that the bond entails?"

"Not anything concrete," George supplied, "We felt she was different almost immediately and just sort of went with it. It's made our friendship grow strong throughout the years."

"Then you didn't know that the bond that was forged was, in fact, a mating bond?" Kurama asked. _'Ah, that question got both of their attention, didn't it.'_ he thought to himself as both twins' eyes widened in surprise.

"A mating bond?" the twins questioned, in sync with one another.

"Indeed," Kurama replied. Glad to have their full attention, he continued his explanation. "Hermione is your mate. That is why the bond was formed between you. It is in all kitsune nature to take a mate and the bond is a part of that, so for you, it was completely normal that the bond should form.

Normal. The word rang throughout Fred's mind as a wave of shame coursed through his body. He had been telling himself all along that that was what he wanted, a normal relationship. He had used that as an excuse time and again when distancing himself from Hermione. But as he did so, he had failed to remember something important about himself.

He and his twin had _**never**_ been normal, by human standards at least. So why had he thought it would be any different when it came to his love life?

He had been forcing himself to deny his feelings for Hermione. Lying to himself in order to keep the guilt at bay, though that had failed spectacularly most of the time. And even the night prior to their trip departure - when he had lain with Angelina - he'd had to let his mind wander elsewhere in order to finish the act...

All this time despising the bond, and it had been absolutely _**natural**_ for it to have developed between himself, his brother and their Kit.

 _'No!'_ the hard headed side of his conscience argued. _'Remember what you almost did to Wood... what you_ _ **wanted**_ _to do.'_ Fred shook his head to clear it. "You're wrong," he growled, though the protest was half hearted at best.

"I assure you, I'm not." Kurama looked to George, seeing the way he was frowning at his brother. It seemed as though Fred was having a harder time accepting the bond than his twin and this made Kurama curious as to why. "Answer me this. Has Hermione been experiencing any... health issues lately?"

"Yes," George's eyes shot to the professor, his heart clenching in his chest with worry as he replied. "A few days ago, before we left, I noticed it. She had a dizzy spell and passed out. Then later, I called and suggested she come over, but she said she wasn't feeling well so she'd gone to her parents." here he shot Fred a nasty look. Fred, for his part, looked somewhat ashamed.

Kurama was about to ask about this when Keiko entered into the den. "Dinner is ready," she announced with a polite smile.

"Thank you, koi. We will be there in a moment." Kurama smiled lovingly at his wife. When she withdrew back into the kitchen, he turned back to the twins. "Shall we, gentlemen? We can continue this conversation after we've eaten."

Fred and George nodded in agreement, rising from their seats to follow Kurama into the dining room. They were surprised to find that dinner at the Minamino residence was not so different from dinner at their own flat, as the household had a more western feel to it than eastern. They sat at a regular table with chairs, though the meal consisted of the usual Japanese fare. Miso soup, followed by grilled fish on a bed of rice and chocolate creme mochi for dessert. After they had finished eating, Fred and George complimented Keiko on her wonderful cooking skills, even comparing them to those of their own mum.

As Keiko went about clearing the table and preparing to wash the dishes, Kurama once again led Fred and George to the den. They retook their seats and the kitsune refilled their glasses from earlier. "Now then," Kurama began, "I've thought over what we discussed from before and have come to a realization. George, you say that your twin's temper is quick to rise?" When George nodded, Kurama then turned to Fred. "Fred, when you had your altercation with this Oliver Wood, did it feel as if you were losing control?" When Fred stiffened, Kurama hastened to add. "Please do not be offended. I think it is important that I know this because if I am correct, then I might have a solution to your problem."

Fred looked down, unable to meet Kurama or his brother's eyes as he spoke. "Yes, I did lose control." he confessed. "I lost it completely. It was like I couldn't think of anything else but hurting him. Not just hurting, Maiming. Maybe even killing him. It frightened me, knowing I couldn't seem to stop myself."

"But you did," George reminded him. "You stopped when Hermione told you to."

Fred nodded. "Yeah, But I was so scared of losing control like that again. It's why I started distancing myself from Kit."

"Distancing yourself..." Kurama murmured, eyes widening. "Denying the bond? That's not very healthy, for either of you."

Fred looked away, lips pressed tightly together. George looked extremely worried. His twin and Hermione were the two most important people in his life and to hear that Fred's recent behavior had the potential to cause them harm...

He quickly turned to Fred. "Look, I know you're intent on being with Ange, Freddie. But just... could you be a little less cold toward Kit in the future?" he pleaded to his brother.

Fred inwardly winced as once again guilt filled him.

As if he sensed the turmoil, Kurama addressed George before Fred could respond. "I'm afraid that won't be enough. Hermione is his mate, as much as she is yours, George. Not this Ange person. You see, Kitsunes mate for life. You're bound together by your very souls and to reject that bond can be dangerous. " he allowed this to sink in before continuing, directing his next words toward Fred. "Tell me this. Is the loss of control you felt the only thing holding you back from caring for her?"

Fred growled, whipping around to face the older red head. "Of course it is!" he exclaimed vehemently. "Being with Hermione was the best thing in the world. It meant a lot to us... to me." his voice lost its intensity, lowering to an almost whisper. "But I can't risk it. I don't want to harm anyone on account of not being able to control my rage."

"And if you could?" Kurama questioned, drawing two sets of blue eyes to him instantly. "Control your feral side, I mean."

Fred's brow scrunched up as he asked, "Is that possible?"

"Akio was a bit of a hot head, always up for a fight and extremely territorial. He was a lot like Yusuke, now that I think on it." Kurama chuckled. "From what I'm hearing it would seem that Fred managed to acquire these less than desirable attributes." Pondering a moment, he finally continued. "With some training and discipline, I'm positive you will be able to get a handle on your temper. In fact, I believe it would be a good idea for you both, as it would also help in getting you attuned to your youki, making it easier for you to manipulate your energy.

"We'll do it," Fred cried instantly, a flood of hope filling his chest. He shared a look with George, who looked rather giddy.

"Very well," Kurama resplied with a smile. "Meet me back here in the morning. I need to make some arrangements first and then we can begin."

The twins wore rather large grins as they nodded enthusiastically. "We'll be there," George said.

Rising from their seats, they each shook Kurama's hand, thanking him profusely for his assistance. The professor escorted them out before turning back inside and closing the door. Walking over to the telephone, Kurama picked it up and dialed a number before bringing the receiver to his ear.

It rang a few times before it was finally picked up. "Hello?" a gravelly sounding voice answered.

"Hello, Kuwabara." Kurama greeted politely. "I hope I'm not disturbing you this late in the evening."

"Oh, hey, Kurama," Kazuma Kuwabara replied, his voice taking on an easy going tone, though the gruffness remained. "Nah, it's fine. What's up, buddy?"

"Actually, I have a favor to ask of you. Would you mind meeting me at Genkai's temple tomorrow? Say, around noon?"

"Sure!" Kuwabara replied. "I've been meaning to get by and see my lovely Yukina."

Kurama was amused by the enthusiasm in his friend voice. "Good, I'll see you tomorrow then."

He bid a goodbye before hanging up, turning to see his wife standing in the doorway leading to the kitchen.

"You're going to take them to the temple, then?" Keiko asked, fonding remembering the old psychic. Genkai had sadly passed away two years ago, but had willed her temple to the care of two of Keiko's closest friends, next to Yusuke.

Kurama nodded as Keiko moved to where he stood, wrapping her arms around his waist as she lay her head on his chest. His own arms wrapped around her as well, holding her close. "It needs to be done. With Kuwabara's help, I shouldn't be gone more than a week, at most. I'll make arrangements for my absence from the university in the morning." he murmured into her hair.

"Fine," Keiko sighed. "Tell Botan and Yukina hello for me?" she asked, reveling in the rumbling of his chest as he chuckled.

"Yes, koi, I will." Kurama replied, placing a loving kiss to the top of her head.

* * *

tbc...


	18. Chapter 18

**Semper Vigilans**

 **\- Chapter 18 -**

* * *

After leaving the Minamino residence, the twins went back to their hotel room for the night. They were simply too worked up over all that they had learned to go to sleep, so instead they sat up on the bed talking. They discussed all that they had learned from Kurama, but skirted around the topic of Hermione and the revelation of her being their mate.

"Do you think this training stuff will work?" Fred finally asked George. He wasn't sure what to think. After the way he had been towards Hermione lately, he wondered if she would even forgive him if it did.

"I don't know," George replied, thinking along the same lines as his twin.

He hoped to God it did, for Fred's and Hermione's sake. If his brother could just get a handle on this feral side of himself then maybe he could make up with Hermione. It had disturbed him so much to see Fred withdraw emotionally like he had, hurting Hermione in the process.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough," he shrugged before laying down on his bed. Fred did the same, both figuring it best if they got a bit of rest seeing as they had no idea what their training would consist of.

As he lay there, George's thoughts turned to Hermione. He attempted to reach out to her as he had in the plane in hopes of reassuring himself that she was okay, but was disappointed to find that there was no response at the other end of the bond, perhaps due to the many miles between them. He felt nothing through the link. He cast a glance at Fred, who he could tell was already out by the even rise and fall of his chest. Sighing, George settled in to sleep, reluctantly pushing his worry for Hermione down. The sooner they got this training over with, the sooner they could get back to Kit so that Fred could make things right.

The next morning, they were up and ready early, eating a hearty breakfast from the cafe across the street from the hotel before catching a cab back to Kurama's house.

"Good morning," the older red head greeted them at the door.

"Good morning, Kurama." the twins replied with a wave.

"I will be ready to leave in just a moment." he continued, before turning to Keiko, who had stepped up beside him. Gathering her into his arms, Kurama kissed her gently. "I'll be back soon." he whispered, before drawing away and going to join Fred and George outside. Keiko watched from the doorway.

The twins moved toward the car but stopped when Kurama cleared his throat. "We will be travelling by foot," he announced, then began to walk across the street to a nearby treeline.

The twins shared a look before following behind. "So it's not far off then?" Fred spoke, eyebrow raised in question.

"I didn't say that." Kurama replied with a smirk over his shoulder. By now they had reached the trees and suddenly Kurama disappeared before their eyes.

The twins looked around, trying to find him when a rustle of leaves caused them to look up. Kurama stood on a tree branch a good ten feet above them.

"Let's see if you can keep up, shall we?" he teased before flitting away.

Grinning at each other, the brothers quickly took to the trees as well. Allowing instinct to take over, Fred and George sailed through the dense foliage behind Kurama, leaping and bounding from branch to branch. The wind swept around them, whipping their hair wildly as the scenery blurred past. They managed to keep up with Kurama easily. They lost track of how far they went but it had to have been a pretty good ways. A bit further and Kurama allowed them to pull up alongside him.

"We're not far now," he informed them as they ran. "Just up ahead, actually."

He leapt down onto the forest floor, the twins copying his graceful moves almost exactly. They came to a stop at a clearing in the woods where a a large set of stone steps began leading up to an old temple.

The twins looked up in awe at the ancient looking building. They ascended the long stretch of stairs until they reached the top where a young woman with mint green colored hair stood, apparently waiting for them. Her odd colored hair was pulled into a low ponytail by an elegant looking red ribbon and she was dressed in a light blue kimono that was held closed by a darker blue obi tied around her trim waist and fastened in a bow at the back. She smiled pleasantly at them as they approached. Her eyes, Fred noticed, where a crimson hue, causing him to think that perhaps she wasn't as human as she appeared, but refrained from saying anything.

"Good morning, Kurama-san, it has been awhile." the woman greeted Kurama, her voice as gentle sounding as she looked. "And I see you've brought friends."

"Hello, Yukina, it's indeed been awhile since our last visit. I'm afraid this isn't a social one, however, hence why Keiko didn't accompany me." Kurama explained. He then gestured to the twins. "I'd like to introduce Fred and George Weasley. They have travelled a long way seeking my aide. Gentlemen, this is Yukina. She is the caretaker of this temple, and before you ask, yes, she is indeed not human. She is what is known as a Koorime, or Ice demon, if you will." he explained.

"Wicked." the twins murmured in sync as the kitsune turned his full attention back to Yukina.

"I was hoping that you wouldn't mind providing us with the use of the temple grounds for a few training sessions, Yukina." he requested.

"Of course you may, Kurama." Yukina nodded and gave a small smile as she agreed. "The training posts have all been repaired and reinforced against most types of sword strikes and beginner level elemental attacks, so you should be all set." she added.

Kurama was about to respond when he was abruptly and very loudly interrupted by the arrival of an extremely enthusiastic young man with reddish-orange hair.

"Yukina, my love!" the man exclaimed as he bounded over to stand in front of Yukina and gathered her delicate hands into his much larger ones.

He then proceeded to verbally reaffirm his apparently undying devotion to the girl. Fred and George watched with amusement until Kurama cleared his throat rather loudly, interrupting the other man's speel as politely as he could manage.

"Kuwabara. So glad you could come on such short notice." he greeted as Kazuma Kuwabara tore his attention away from his beloved Yukina.

"Oh, hey, Kurama." the larger man replied, grinning widely. "It's no problem. You know I'm always willing to help out a friend. So what'cha needing help with, and who are these guys?" Kuwabara asked, gesturing with a jerk of his thumb in the twins' direction.

"This is Fred and George Weasley. They are a couple of new acquaintances of mine and the reason I asked you to meet me here." Kurama began. "They are in need of some training to help control their spirit energy and I have offered to oblige, with your assistance, if you don't mind."

"Sure! Like I said, anything for a friend." Kuwabara shrugged.

Yukina spoke up then, addressing the four men. "Well, then, I shall leave you to your activities. Once Botan returns from the Reikai, we shall prepare some refreshments for you as I'm sure you'll need it." With that, the green haired Ice maiden bowed before retreating back into the stone building.

"Alright then," George suddenly exclaimed, speaking for the first time since arriving at the temple. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?" He really was impatient to begin and could feel Fred's eagerness as well.

"Yes," Kurama responded with a nod. Turning to Kuwabara, he continued. "Let's start with a bit of meditation, then later, we'll move on to spirit energy as well as youki manipulation."

"Sounds good to me. You guys ready for this? Me and Kurama won't go easy on you." the stocky man warned.

"Bring it," the twins exclaimed in time with one another as they crossed their arms over their sturdy chests.

"Oh, don't worry, we will." Kuwabara chuckled. Oh, how he loved a challenge.

* * *

 _ **The Twins' Flat**_

* * *

Hermione inserted her key into the lock, and turned it, waiting for the resounding click indicating that she could enter the twins' flat. It had been nine days since Fred and George had gone on their 'urgent business trip', or at least that was where George had told her they were going. Once Fred had left her house the night before their departure, and after George had made his feelings for her abundantly clear, he had held her in his arms as he told her of their travel plans. He'd assured her that they would be gone no more than three days, four at the most.

His expression as he spoke had made her suspicious that something was really off about this trip of theirs, and the fact that he was not inclined to share any other details with her, frankly disappointed her. When the next morning - the day of their departure - had dawned, George had promised that they would tell her everything when they returned, as she went with him back to his flat. She had been intent on saying goodbye to Fred as well. That had not gone the way she had hoped and had resulted in her running from this very building, feeling as if a knife had been driven into her chest.

She hadn't been back here since. But it had been over a week now and not even a word from George, leaving Hermione to worry something had happened to them. For heaven's sake, he hadn't even told her where the meeting was taking place! Hermione looked around the flat as she laid her keys on the stand near the door. There was still no sign that Fred or George had been back to the flat either, and so Hermione did what she seldom did when it came to her friends.

She began to snoop.

She started in the living room, having always been impressed with how the flat stayed rather tidy. For a couple of bachelors, Fred and George were definitely no slobs. No clues were to be found in the living room, so she gathered her courage and ventured into George's bedroom.

It was as clean as the living room had been, save for a few clothes tossed atop the dresser. A few articles that had been decided against for their trip, she figured. The bed was made and beside the bed was a night stand which held a small lamp and a notepad and pen.

 _'Hm...'_ she wondered.

Stepping over to the small table, she picked up the pad of paper and noticed a list was scribbled out in George's distinctive handwriting.

Passport

Identification Papers

Cash and Credit Cards

Plane tickets

Hotel reservation and contact information

Cell phone, and charger

Shirts

Trousers

Underwear

Socks...

The list went on. Obviously things to take with them on their trip. Something at the bottom of the page caught her eye. It was a reminder to himself.

 _Do not forget the book. Mr. Minamino will want to see it._

Hermione thought for a moment. Was he referring to the book he and Fred had been so happy about finding at the shop last month? Just who was this Mr. Minamino and why would he be interested in seeing it?

Shaking her head, Hermione set the list back on the stand and exited George's room. She hesitated a moment, fighting off the wave of dizziness that seemed to plague her on occasion lately. When she finally regained her bearings, she approached the door leading to Fred's bedroom, though she did not know what she was hoping to find.

She idly noted that Fred's room was nowhere near as clean as George's. _'Well, looks like I know who keeps house now.'_ she grinned briefly. The smile slipped from her lips a second later as she recalled exactly _**what**_ Fred had been doing in this room the last time he'd been in here. She had to bite her lip as the sudden urge to cry hit her.

In an attempt to stem her tears, Hermione refocused on finding clues. It didn't matter if Fred wanted to be with Angelina and not her, he was still one of her best friends and she missed them terribly. She just _**had**_ to find out where they were!

 _'Get a grip, Hermione. You will figure this out.'_ she scolded herself. Moving fully into the disaster area that was Fred's room, all the while emphatically ignoring the rumpled looking bedding, she began to search again.

She nearly shouted in triumph when she spied a recent airline receipt on the floor near the foot of the bed. Two round-trip tickets to Tokyo? The twins had gone to _**Japan**_?

A sense of numbness overcame her at the realization that the twins were not even in the same country anymore. Her hands trembled as she clutched the receipt, not understanding why George hadn't told her that they were travel-bound to Tokyo.

Her throat constricted at the thought that perhaps they didn't trust her enough. How could they have kept this secret from her? Especially after what she and George had shared. Weren't they supposed to be the best of friends? Hadn't she proven time after time that she could handle their mischief? She swallowed a jolt of hurt, her nails digging deep into the flesh of her palms. Did their sudden need for secrecy have something to do with what had happened with Malfoy? Was she suddenly too fragile to confide in? So many questions!

After an hour of numbly staring at the airline receipt in her hands, Hermione finally decided that enough was enough. She refused to dwell on her misery any longer. Sure. she was upset and incredibly hurt, but there was not a mystery that she couldn't solve if she put her mind to it. A little bit of research, and she would have the answers that she desperately sought.

Never let it be said that Hermione Granger wasn't persistent when she wanted information.

She put the piece of paper back where she found it, and marched into the bathroom. She sprinkled some cold water on her face before patting it dry and took a deep breath. If she was going to get to the bottom of this issue, she needed a snack first. She couldn't think on an empty stomach. A quick investigation of the kitchen yielded satisfactory results, and she was able to whip up herself up a cheese sandwich and glass of orange juice. She sat on one of the kitchen stools, her mind whirling with thoughts, as she bit into the cheesy goodness.

Hermione couldn't get over the fact that George and Fred were currently in Japan. She had a gut feeling that their trip had nothing to do with their business, and her logical side had to agree with that. Either the twins were planning to globally expand their business - unlikely - or they were up to something else.

Humming to herself, she quickly washed her plate after she had finished eating, and with the glass of juice in her hand, she retreated back to George's room to take a more detailed look at his jotted reminders to himself.

Sitting on George's untouched bed, Hermione crossed her legs comfortably before pulling the pad of paper onto her lap, her eyes greedily scouring the page. There wasn't anything even remotely intriguing written down, except for the last item on the list.

 _'Do not forget the book. Mr. Minamino will want to see it.'_

Who was Mr. Minamino, and why were the boys determined to meet with him? What could they possibly want from this man? What book would he want to see?

Her curiosity was well and truly piqued. Looking around the room, she spied the twins' laptop sitting on the desk nearby and had an idea. Picking up the portable computer, she made herself comfortable on the couch before turning it on. When it was completely booted up, she opened a browser, and loaded a search engine. Typing the mystery person's last name into the search bar, she anxiously pressed enter and waited for results.

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed at what came up. There were over two million hits, which was a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. She clearly needed to narrow this down.

Hermione's eyes were alight with a small gleam of triumph as she looked up 'Book written by Minamino', and found what she was looking for.

There was an author by the name of Shuichi Minamino, who had apparently written a children's book. Hermione's eyes widened in shock, when she clicked on one of the links advertising it for sale, glancing at the illustrated cover of the book. The creature looked almost exactly like the one she had encountered in the forest, the only difference that she could think of was its silver color. She vividly remembered glimpses of striking red fur, and a familiar earthy scent.

Hermione gripped the sides of her notebook, her body trembling with shock, and the cell memory of the trauma she had suffered. What were the chances of a children's book character coming to life to protect her from the obnoxious Malfoy heir?

She barked a sharp humorless laugh. "I swear I'm losing my mind." she muttered under her breath, her eyes trailing back over the book cover, looking for the title.

Her eyebrows disappeared in her hairline, as she read the words: 'A Kitsune's Tale'. Something hazy was stirring at the back of her mind. Something about the creature's obvious name sounded familiar to her, but she couldn't place it...

She shook her head, and put her computer aside, slowly massaging her temples. She did _**not**_ like the implications of what she had found. Her heart was beating like crazy, as her mind was working a mile a minute processing and analyzing information.

Hermione remembered Fred's and George's excitement when they had found this book. Their whole demeanor had changed, and they were anxious to leave the book shop. What did it mean that they were interested in a book that possibly had something to do with the creature that saved her? Furthermore, why did they want to meet with the author?

The young woman had a lot of questions that remained unanswered, but she had a few things she could focus on, namely Shuichi Minamino and his book, the creature's uncanny resemblance to her mysterious protector, Akio, and the fact that for some reason Fred and George Weasley were both connected to it all.

* * *

tbc


End file.
